Gillian Triggs
Gillian Triggs | |
|---|---|
Triggs in 2015 | |
| President of the Australian Human Rights Commission | |
| In office 30 July 2012 – 26 July 2017 | |
| Appointed by | Nicola Roxon |
| Preceded by | Catherine Branson KC |
| Succeeded by | Ros Croucher AM |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 30 October 1945 London, England, UK |
| Citizenship | Australian / British |
| Spouse | Alan Brown AM |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater | |
| Occupation | Academic |
| Profession | |
Gillian Doreen Triggs AC (born 30 October 1945) is an Australian and British public international lawyer, specialising in human rights and trade and commercial law. She is also an academic, barrister, and director. She became widely known in Australia after her appointment as president of the Australian Human Rights Commission for a five-year term in 2012.
After working in private chambers as a consultant on international law for around a decade, Triggs was appointed professor at the Melbourne Law School in 1996. She was dean of the Sydney Law School, where she was the Challis Professor of International Law between 2007 and 2012. In 2019, she was appointed by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres as Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations. In this capacity, she served until December 2023 as the Assistant High Commissioner for Protection.
Triggs is the recipient of many honours and awards, and was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia in the 2025 Australia Day Honours.