Tasmania's former police commissioner, Richard McCreadie, has told a parliamentary committee he expected the Director of Public Prosecutions to oppose his reappointment.

Mr McCreadie is giving evidence this morning to a Parliamentary Committee examining senior public service appointments.

The Premier, David Bartlett, aborted the reappointment last year after receiving advice from the DPP Tim Ellis.

Mr McCreadie has told the committee he alerted Mr Bartlett, before agreeing to the reappointment, that Mr Ellis and the police association would be likely to oppose it.

He insists he did not lobby for a return to the job.

He said he was happy in retirement but was convinced in a meeting with the Premier that he could temporarily step in while criminal charges against Commissioner Jack Johnson were dealt with.

He met Mr Bartlett a few days after the initial approach.

"In essence he wanted me to start straight away but I recognised there would probably be some interest from the Police Association and maybe some interest from the DPP."

"I advised him of that and I told him a more convenient time would be Monday."

Both Mr Ellis and the association are also due to give evidence today.