A batch of 76 bureaucratic appointments made by the federal government the day before the election was called did not go through a selection committee.

Attorney-General George Brandis announced 37 new positions and 39 re-appointments to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal on the eve of going into caretaker mode in May.

Senator Brandis' department revealed on Tuesday night none of those had been subject to a selection committee or were publicly advertised.

Under protocol, the attorney-general is allowed to choose a suitable person himself.

Some of those may have been based on recommendations by the president of the tribunal, but the department would not say how many.

Senator Brandis insisted he complied with the protocol, which he established with the tribunal's president last year.

He said the large number of appointments were made to fill a backlog of vacancies created by the delay in the protocol's introduction.

Labor Senator Penny Wong read a list of more than 20 of the appointments who she claimed were affiliated with the Liberal party, including a former Liberal senator and ex-chief of staff to Treasurer Scott Morrison.

But Senator Brandis denied any favouritism.

"I don't enquire into people's politics when I make appointments to boards or tribunals," he said.

"There are some people whose politics I know because they're a matter of public record. Politics, for me, never comes into it."

The attorney-general was again questioned about his relationship with Liberal Party donor, Theo Tavoularis, who represented his son in a court case and was among the AAT appointees in May.

Senator Brandis said he did not consider Mr Tavoularis a personal friend, rather an acquaintance.