Gillian Triggs

Emeritus Professor
Gillian Triggs
Gillian Triggs, 2006
President, Australian Human Rights Commission
Incumbent
Assumed office
30 July 2012
Appointed by Attorney-General of Australia
Preceded by Catherine Branson QC
Personal details
Born 30 October 1945
London, United Kingdom[1]
Citizenship Australian
Spouse(s) Alan Brown AM
Children 3 (1 deceased)[2]
Alma mater University of Melbourne
Southern Methodist University, Texas
Occupation Academic
Profession Barrister
Public international lawyer
Academic

Gillian Doreen Triggs (born 30 October 1945) is an Australian academic specialising in public international law with publications on World Trade Organization (WTO) disputes resolution, energy and resources law, law of the sea, territorial sovereignty, jurisdiction and immunity, international criminal law, international environmental law, and human rights.[3] Triggs is the President of the Australian Human Rights Commission and was Acting Race Discrimination Commissioner from 30 July 2012 to 19 August 2013.[4] She is an emeritus professor at the University of Sydney, where she was Dean of the Sydney Law School between 2007 and 2012.[5]

Background and early career

Triggs attended the University of Melbourne, where she earned a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) in 1967 and a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in 1982.[6] After her admission to the Supreme Court of Victoria as a solicitor and barrister, Triggs worked as a tutor at Monash University.

She also earned a Master of Laws (LL.M.) from Southern Methodist University in University Park, Texas, a suburb of Dallas,[7] whilst working with the Dallas Police Department, serving as Legal Advisory to the Chief of Police on the Civil Rights Act of 1964.[8]

Since her return to Australia in 1975 she has been a lecturer, professor, reader of law, and associate dean of law at the University of Melbourne for 20 years.[8]

Later career

Triggs speaking at the British Institute of International and Comparative Law, 2006.

In 1987, Triggs joined Mallesons Stephen Jaques, where she worked as a consultant on international law.[9] Subsequently, Triggs practised as a barrister at Sydney barristers' chambers Seven Wentworth Chambers.[4] It is unclear how long Triggs was full time in these positions as she was a full time Professor at Melbourne Law School from 1996 to 2005.[10]

Triggs was the Director of the British Institute of International and Comparative Law from July 2005 to September 2007. Before taking up her appointment, she was the Director of the Institute for Comparative and International Law at the University of Melbourne, where she held a Chair in Law.

Triggs returned to Australia in 2007, to become the Dean of the University of Sydney Law School and Challis Professor of International Law. She took up this role in October 2007.[11] On 27 July 2012, Triggs retired as Dean of the Sydney Law School[5] to take up her appointment as the President of the Australian Human Rights Commission, for a period of five years commencing 30 July 2012. She was Acting Race Discrimination Commissioner from 30 July 2012 to 19 August 2013.[4]

On 3 February 2014 Triggs launched the National Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention 2014, to "investigate the ways in which life in immigration detention affects the health, well-being and development of children."[12] The report was branded as partisan by the government, and the Attorney-General George Brandis asked her to resign.[13] [14] As a response to the velitation, the Australian Senate censured Senator Brandis, resolving that he was "unfit to hold the office" of Attorney-General.[15]

Personal life

Triggs resides in Sydney, and is married to former Australian diplomat Alan Brown AM. Triggs was previously married to Melbourne lawyer Professor Sandy Clark, with whom she had three children.[4]

Triggs' third child, a daughter named Victoria, was born in 1984 with Edwards syndrome which left her profoundly disabled and with a short life expectancy. When Victoria was six months of age, Triggs and Clark arranged for Victoria to be primarily cared for by another family. Victoria eventually survived until the age of 21. When asked if she was bothered by the arrangement, Triggs replied "Yes, because you have child and you expect to look after her. But in the end I simply made the judgement that I would rather put my time into my other children and family, because I also never believed she would live to that age."" [16]

In addition to her native English, Triggs speaks some French.[9]

References

  1. ↑ "Meet Gillian Triggs, the woman taking on Immigration Minister Scott Morrison". The Sydney Morning Herald. 1 Aug 2014.
  2. ↑ Mezrani, Leanne (23 August 2012). "Legal Leaders: Best of both worlds". Lawyers Weekly. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
  3. ↑ "Faculty - University of Virginia School of Law: Gillian D. Triggs". University of Virginia School of Law.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 "President - Professor Gillian Triggs". Australian Human Rights Commission. Retrieved 9 January 2015.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Sherington, Greg (27 July 2012). "Professor Gillian Triggs bids farewell to the Law School". Sydney Law School. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
  6. ↑ Curriculum Vitae Gillian D Triggs - United States Studies Centre, University of Sydney pdf
  7. ↑ Gillian Triggs - Asia Pacific Centre for Military Law
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Shaping minds and defending rights". Lawyers Weekly. 22 October 2012. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "The Sydney Law School Reports" (pdf) 2. Sydney Law School. 2007. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
  10. ↑ "Gillian Triggs CV" (pdf). Sydney University.
  11. ↑ "New Dean for Law School". University of Sydney. 24 April 2007. Retrieved 12 June 2007.
  12. ↑ "National Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention 2014". Australian Human Rights Commission. Retrieved 9 January 2015.
  13. ↑ Owens, Jared (24 February 2015). "Gillian Triggs ‘shocked’ at Brandis’ ‘disgraceful proposal’ she resign". The Australian. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
  14. ↑ "Australia's Brandis censured over treatment of Triggs". BBC. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  15. ↑ "George Brandis labelled unfit for office over his ‘vicious’ attack on Gillian Triggs". NEWS.COM. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  16. ↑ "Meet Gillian Triggs, the woman taking on Immigration Minister Scott Morrison". Retrieved 21 January 2015.

External links

Legal offices
Preceded by
Catherine Branson QC		 President of the Australian Human Rights Commission
2012–present 		Incumbent