Ruth Barson and Daniel Webb to lead the Human Rights Law Centre during Hugh de Kretser’s long service leave

The Human Rights Law Centre’s Executive Director Hugh de Kretser is taking a four month break on long service leave, travelling abroad with his family. We’re excited to announce that Ruth Barson and Daniel Webb will be stepping in as Executive Director, jointly sharing the role.

Ruth Barson has led our Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander peoples’ rights and prisoner rights team for the last six years. Ruth’s work has included  High Court and Supreme Court challenges to punitive police powers and prison policies and she has also led the Centre’s advocacy and legal work in relation to youth justice; deaths in custody; and racial inequality in the criminal legal system. Ruth was recently awarded the Ian Potter international travel grant to visit US NGO’s tackling mass imprisonment and racial injustice. 

Daniel Webb has recently returned to the Human Rights Law Centre after 12 months working on corruption and governance issues in the Pacific and now leads our work defending democratic freedoms. Daniel previously founded our Asylum Seeker and Refugee Rights team, leading High Court litigation to prevent the deportation of over 460 people to indefinite detention on Nauru and Manus Island and securing the reunion of families separated between Australia and offshore detention.

Daniel’s effectiveness in defending human rights led to him winning the inaugural Global Pluralism Award. Nominated by the United Nations OHCHR, Daniel was selected by a jury of world leaders from over 200 shortlisted nominees from 43 countries.

Over the next four months, Shahleena Musk will be acting Legal Director of the Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ Rights team while Ruth is acting Executive Director. Shahleena joined the Human Rights Law Centre in 2017 and has been instrumental in our work to transform youth justice systems, challenge inhuman conditions in prisons; and work for a fair legal system that is free from racial injustice.

Please join us in wishing Hugh safe travels and welcoming Ruth, Daniel and Shahleena to their acting roles.