Former DPP Lloyd Babb appointed to NSW Industrial Relations Commission

Babb will be sworn in on 28 July, moving from an extensive career in criminal law into the state’s independent workplace umpire.

The appointment was announced jointly by Attorney General Michael Daley and Treasurer Daniel Mookhey, who is acting Minister for Industrial Relations and Work Health and Safety.

Babb brings more than three decades of legal experience to the role, including two stints as a Director of Public Prosecutions. He led the NSW office from 2011 to 2021 and held the equivalent post in the Northern Territory from 2022 to 2025.

He first joined the NSW Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions in 1993 as a solicitor and was admitted to the NSW Bar in 1995. He went on to work as a Crown Prosecutor, Public Defender and Crown Advocate, appearing in criminal trials and appeals, including before the High Court.

Daley described him as an outstanding lawyer with “a formidable intellect and an exceptional breadth of legal experience”.

The Attorney General said Babb’s expertise in criminal law and his experience handling complex and sensitive matters would strengthen the Commission’s capacity to serve the public.

Mookhey said the Commission played a vital role in maintaining fair and effective workplace relations across the state and needed to be supported by commissioners of the highest calibre.

He said Babb brought “a wealth of legal experience, sound judgment and an unwavering commitment to the rule of law”.

The decision follows the appointment of Deputy President Janet McDonald and four additional commissioners earlier this month – a round of hirings the Acting Minister said would ensure the Commission remained a well-resourced tribunal promoting fairness in the workplace.

Header image credit: DAVID MOIR/AAP Image