Commission should be respected: Brandis

Attorney-General George Brandis says people should respect a decision by the child abuse royal commission to allow Cardinal George Pell to give evidence by videolink.

Speaking in Washington DC where he is attending the Five Country Ministerial meeting, Senator Brandis said it is not unusual to give evidence by video conference.

"Those people who have gone into the public arena to criticise that, are in fact criticising the orders that have been made by the royal commissioner and calling them into question. I think frankly the royal commission ... should be respected by everyone," he said.