Moral Compass: Lacking Here we have the true measure of the current Attorney General of Australia and the Liberal Party's commitment to the rule of law: Because David Hicks has been labelled a terrorist, torture is o.k. Without the courage to face his questioner, George Brandis dismisses the torture of David Hicks by the CIA, with the apparent knowledge and complicity of a government of which he was a member, and scuttles away from actually answering to the charge. As much as it pains me whenever Dick Cheney rears his hideous mien to pontificate on terrorism and justify his crimes, it is worse to bring such men as this back into power and pretend that it's a good thing. Brandis, you toad, answer the question.