HRC shouldn't fear criticism: Wilson

Human Rights Commissioner Tim Wilson has no reason to believe a controversial report into the detention of asylum seeker children contains any stories that aren't "entirely credible".

But he's reluctant to fully back the Forgotten Children report's recommendations.

In his first address to the National Press Club, Mr Wilson shied away from commenting directly on the controversial document that angered Prime Minister Tony Abbott and other senior government ministers.

The 10-month inquiry found detaining asylum seeker children breached international human rights obligations and caused them significant physical and mental harm.

It called for a royal commission, which the government swiftly ruled out.

Mr Abbott savaged the report, telling the commission it should be ashamed of itself for political bias and sparking backbench fury over president Gillian Triggs.

The government has reportedly tried to encourage Ms Triggs to step down.

Mr Wilson conceded any damage to the commission's reputation would have to be overcome by "getting out there" and advocating for human rights, while ensuring the public know it acts in good faith.

"So long as we're being active and vital, we will attract a certain degree of criticism and we shouldn't be afraid of that," he said on Wednesday.

"We should be prepared to stand up and defend the work we do and why we're doing it."

But when asked to defend the report's recommendations - specifically a royal commission into the detention of asylum seeker children - Mr Wilson was silent.

"I am not going to get into saying I support one bid or another bid," he said.

Mr Wilson conducted some "confronting" interviews of asylum seeker children for the report, but said he couldn't account for the validity of all the stories.

The government has been releasing children from Australian detention centres, including Christmas Island, since the parliament passed temporary protection visas in December.

There are 119 children in the Australian-run offshore detention centre in Nauru who won't get to come to Australia.

Mr Wilson wouldn't comment on the appropriateness of child detention on Nauru because he hasn't been there himself, but he congratulated the government for its border protection policy.

"Stopping the boats and stopping deaths at sea does matter," he said.

"The follow-through is to do what the government is doing right now, getting children, adults and families out of detention."