Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has confirmed Australian Human Rights Commission president Gillian Triggs will be replaced with a new commissioner when her term expires next year.

Fairfax Media last month reported the government was already scouring for a replacement, with a senior source saying the selection process would be "well under way" by the end of the Christmas break.

The fractious relationship between Professor Triggs and the Coalition continued to sour after she wrongly told a Senate Estimates hearing in October she believed a newspaper had misquoted her in statements critical of politicians.

In remarks that were immediately praised by one of Professor Triggs' biggest detractors, arch-conservative Liberal senator Eric Abetz, Mr Turnbull on Wednesday confirmed to 2GB radio that there would be a new AHRC boss next year.