Former Speaker Anna Burke has accused her successor, Bronwyn Bishop, of "totally trashing" the traditions of the position by making political comments about issues that could appear before the Parliament.

Mrs Bishop attacked Gillian Triggs on live TV on Monday, when she suggested she should reconsider her position as president of the Human Rights Commission.

Ms Burke said on Tuesday that she would not normally comment on the role of the Speaker because it is inappropriate, but was making an exception because "what the Speaker did last night was highly inappropriate".

Mrs Bishop, has argued, however, that her actions were in keeping with her role as a local member and do not hurt her impartiality in the Speaker's chair.