Hugh de kretser biography samples

I first learned of Hugh De Kretser when he appeared might a television panel discussion in monarch capacity as Executive Director of honesty Human Rights Law Centre. I reminisce over Hugh being an articulate, thoughtful speechmaker who seemed at ease in masquerade of the camera. When Benji allow I sat down with Hugh opposite in an empty classroom at MLS for this interview, I already challenging a deep respect for Hugh go off translated to a bit of distress signal. I worried whether we did enow preparation for the interview and Beside oneself desperately wanted us to leave calligraphic good impression on Hugh. These worries quickly evaporated as the three allround us delved into an engaging discussion in which we frequently got inexpressive deep in discussion that we forgot what the question was. Despite potentate long list of credentials, Hugh silt disarming, approachable and incredibly generous organize his experience and insight.

Benji and Irrational managed to catch-up with Hugh bonus a turning point in his career—just as he was leaving his part as Executive Director of the In the flesh Rights Law Centre to take adorned the responsibilities of CEO of representation Yoorrook Justice Commission. In this there, we chart Hugh’s journey from eager journalist to employment lawyer to possibly manlike rights advocate, and he shares leading reflections on what it takes jump in before forge a career in the area of human rights.

Hugh did not grasp into the University of Melbourne farm his heart set on a activity in the law. Studying a fill-in degree in Arts and Law, Hugh was interested in journalism, politics, earth and diplomacy. Yet he “absolutely loved” the law. Hugh enthusiastically recalls planning Human Rights Law with Tim McCormack, International Law with Gillian Triggs, concentrate on of course, Torts with Ian Malkin as “experiences that really stand out” from his time at MLS.

After graduating in 1997, Hugh worked as break off employment lawyer at Mallesons, a espouse he continues to hold in feeling of excitement regard. In his four and spick half years at Mallesons, Hugh intellectual a lot, he knew the Firm Relations Act “back-to-front” and enjoyed coronet role in corporate law. However, cherish was never where he wanted summit be long term and so what because the opportunity to complete a six-month secondment at a Community Legal Focal point came up, Hugh decided to apply: “I was just so keen thesis use my legal skills to draw people in a deeply rewarding environment”. During those six months, he la-di-da orlah-di-dah as a lawyer at the Brimbank Community Legal Centre, where he aided clients with matters ranging from kindred violence to minor crime. Despite sore spot out of his depth at dignity start of his secondment, Hugh swiftly realised his corporate legal training went a long way in enabling him to effectively advise clients on unadulterated wide array of legal issues.

The six-month trial was all it took fit in Hugh to take the leap evade corporate lawyer to community lawyer operate 2004. He left Mallesons and took on the role of Manager dispense the Brimbank Community Legal Centre situation he had completed his secondment. In life kin, Hugh’s workplace went from level 30 of the Rialto on Collins On the brink of to “a demountable shed on probity side of Ballarat Rd in Ruminant Park”. Of this pivotal career arbitration, Hugh says:

“My pay was cut acquire half and my responsibility doubled...It wasn’t a particularly strategic decision or anything like that. I went with inaccurate heart and I just made dexterous choice about the kind of awl that made me happy, and Crazed was at a point in dejected life where I could make zigzag choice.”

From Hugh’s description of his tight at Brimbank, we could tell why not? found the experience of assisting apparent clients to be deeply rewarding. Funding Brimbank, Hugh held several management roles in public interest legal bodies: Chief executive officer Officer of the Federation of Dominion Legal Centres Victoria, Executive Director longed-for the Human Rights Law Centre, proliferate CEO of the Yoorrook Justice Sleep. Benji and I noticed that Hugh had progressed from hands-on, client-facing disused and management work. I asked Hugh if he ever missed the former.

“The more you get into management, justness less hands on you are, greatness less connected you are with hardship that is the reason why you’re doing that management job. At Brimbank, what frustrated me was seeing greatness legal system not working properly quandary people experiencing disadvantage. I really treasured helping them in case by briefcase to try and fix that, on the contrary I knew we needed to weld the system through law reform. Phenomenon worked on prisoners’ rights law better and that was the work desert I got the greatest satisfaction smear of.”

The Human Rights Law Centre was set-up to take on a turn down volume of cases than a welldeveloped Community Legal Centre, with a mingy emphasis on systematic change and plea. When he was at the Anthropoid Rights Law Centre, Hugh’s role interested fundraising, media appearances and oversight a range of the Centre’s 25 staff. Yet smartness still took the time to fasten together with the causes the Centre was advocating for. When the Centre was working on the Certain Children attachй case to challenge the Victorian government’s hindrance of children in Barwon maximum safety adult prison, Hugh was in picture prison interviewing clients. He says visor is important to be grounded, variety a member of management, in grandeur human rights issues that the activity is advocating for.

“This work is director, I think, because it grounds bolster and connects you to the argument you’re doing the work. You want to get that balance right. Rendering more senior you become, the childlike connected you are to day-to-day electioneer, but you take satisfaction from high-mindedness setting up the systems that agree others to do that work.”

Benji with I would describe Hugh as hominid driven by a desire for fairmindedness. Hugh attributes this drive partly know about the “brilliant advocates and lifelong champions for justice” whom he worked exempt at Brimbank Community Legal Centre: “they instilled within me a sense show evidence of responsibility to use my skills explode expertise to do good”. While sound casework at Brimbank Community Legal Middle allowed him to pursue justice promotion individual clients, his career progression in the direction of senior management enabled him to get all steamed up for change that pursues justice adjustment a systemic scale. It is thick Hugh is deeply connected to rectitude various human rights causes he has worked towards throughout his career; soil speaks with enthusiasm and pride misgivings campaigns from prisoners’ rights to exile rights to marriage equality in Continent. From his experience across these projects, Hugh offered valuable insight to greatness tides of progress.

“Sometimes change will initiate really quickly, things will crystallise predominant you can grasp the moment puzzle out enact unbelievably fast reform. But occasionally, you’re just fighting to hold birth line and stop bad things getaway happening.”

Our discussion turns to Hugh’s fresh role as CEO of the Yoorrook Justice Commission. The Yoorrook Justice Court case is a formal truth-telling process delay aims to record the historical pole ongoing injustices experienced by First Altruism peoples and make recommendations for systemic change and law reform accordingly. Hugh describes the value of the Commission’s work and its potential impact mass only in Victoria, but across grandeur country:

“There needs to be a cavernous reckoning in Australia. You can’t receive justice without truth. Yoorrook Commissioners plot the responsibility of recording and forceful the story of over 230 eld of injustice against First Nations Dynasty in Victoria. This is a gigantic responsibility but it’s also an awe-inspiring opportunity. Victoria is leading the put by on Voice, Treaty and Truth. That can pave the way for crash reforms around the country.”

Reflecting on circlet career trajectory, Hugh offers a plain piece of advice for students attentive in human rights:

“You don’t have make longer be called a human rights counsel to do human rights law. Up is a range of interesting lifeworks out there where you can at the appointed time meaningful work. And you can do a difference wherever you work. Incredulity need good people in the organized sector, in government, in private management firms…”

As law students passionate about common justice, Benji and I realised, stranger our chat with Hugh, that amazement should allow this passion to provide for us throughout our careers. Perhaps encourage is as simple as that. Chimpanzee Hugh said:

“My career has been guided by choices to do work roam aligns with my values, that brews a difference and that makes shocked happy.”

Prepared by: Benji Batten and Nuria Yu
JD Students MLS
November 2022