Finlay was appointed to the Australian Human Rights Commission in September, with her selection criticised for the lack of a competitive process. Critics have also pointed to her Liberal party links, and her outspoken views on an Indigenous voice to parliament, affirmative consent laws, and section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act.
The commencement of her five-year term on Monday comes as the government fights a growing rebellion in its own ranks, five Coalition senators siding with One Nation to seek to override state health orders that require or incentivise vaccines with extra freedoms for the vaccinated.
Finlay did not back away from her personal views expressed before taking the human rights commissioner role.
Asked to identify the biggest threats to freedom of speech, Finlay nominated the impact of big technology and social media companies regulating online speech and academic freedom on university campuses.
Finlay has cited tackling human trafficking and modern slavery as priorities for her, including input into the three-year review of the Modern Slavery Act.
On Wednesday, Finlay defended her public commentary opposing affirmative consent laws and appearing in an IPA ad attacking the Indigenous voice to parliament proposal.
