Role for public in judge selection: Dutton

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton believes the public should play a role in appointing new magistrates.

Mr Dutton has long railed against "pathetically weak" decisions made by judges and magistrates in state courts, including "soft sentences" handed down in response to Victorian gang crime.

"I think there should be greater scrutiny around some of the appointments being made to the magistrates courts," Mr Dutton told 2GB radio on Thursday.

Mr Dutton was asked about a 19-year-old New Zealander handed a 12-month suspended sentence over a one-punch attack at Surfers Paradise during school leaver celebrations last year.

The minister confirmed he was having a look at the matter, before floating the idea of allowing the public to "reflect on" a shortlist of potential judicial appointments.

"The state governments should be putting out publicly the names of people that they're believing they should appoint to the magistrates court and let there be public reflection on that," Mr Dutton said.

"There are big consequences and we've seen that on the Gold Coast with the one-punch incident that you speak about."

Greens senator Nick McKim said the suggestions showed an "alarming contempt" for the rule of law.

"Dutton's suggestion of 'public reflection' is a step towards the direct election of judges - an alarming proposition for someone with as much unchecked power as him," Senator McKim said.

"Judges and magistrates should be independent experts in the law, not populist politicians."