SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA, September 14, 2026 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Marquis Who's Who, the world's premier publisher of biographical profiles, is proud to honor Belinda Hughes with inclusion in Who's Who in the World. An accomplished listee, Hughes celebrates many years' experience in their professional network and has been noted for achievements, leadership qualities, and the credentials and successes they have accrued in their field. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
Ms. Hughes has established a distinguished career encompassing senior leadership roles in government and private legal practice, with a particular focus on criminal law, regulatory enforcement, heavy vehicle law, rail safety and workplace regulation. In 2025, she became Principal Lawyer and Director of Legal Services at Hughes Law, a practice dedicated to criminal, regulatory and transport law. Drawing on her experience as a prosecutor, senior regulator and defence lawyer, Ms. Hughes now represents companies, executives and individuals throughout Australia in complex criminal, regulatory and transport law investigations and proceedings.
During 2025, Ms. Hughes served as Acting Executive Director, Statutory Compliance, at the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator. In this capacity, she contributed to the oversight and enforcement of national rail safety standards and supported public confidence in the regulation of Australia's rail industry.
For 18 months, Ms. Hughes served as Executive Director, Legal, at the Independent Commission Against Corruption in Papua New Guinea. One of her most significant international achievements was helping to establish and lead the Commission's legal and prosecutions functions, including its capability to conduct investigatory hearings, prosecute offences, pursue proceeds of crime and undertake litigation.
Ms. Hughes led the drafting of the Independent Commission Against Corruption Regulation 2024 working collaboratively with national and international bodies, including the Australian High Commission, the United Nations and the International Monetary Fund. She also helped introduce an electronic case management system and led a judicial education initiative that included developing a book of proofs and a judicial guide addressing corruption offences in Papua New Guinea.
During her tenure, Ms. Hughes represented Papua New Guinea in international forums and shared insights from her advocacy experience with prosecutors in Hong Kong and Singapore. She also led training for international prosecutors on supporting vulnerable witnesses and served as a Papua New Guinea government expert consultant in connection with a United Nations review concerning corruption and economic crime.
From 2020 to 2024, Ms. Hughes served as National Director of Prosecutions at the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator. In this role, she led a national prosecution team operating across 12 offices throughout Australia and oversaw complex proceedings involving corporations, executives and other parties in the chain of responsibility. Under her leadership, the national prosecution team grew from six to over 40 full time employees and developed into a high-performing, award-winning function.
Ms. Hughes also created and led a judicial education series delivered across Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia. This initiative was supported by a Judicial Guide to the Heavy Vehicle National Law, which was subsequently published on the Judicial Information Research System. Her prosecutorial work included securing convictions across the chain of responsibility and four successful Supreme Court appeals. She also promoted greater transparency in prosecutions, published lessons arising from court outcomes and increased the use of enforcement outcomes directed toward addressing the underlying safety risks associated with offending.
Her contribution to innovation at the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator was recognized when her team received the Chief Executive Officer's Award for Innovation in 2022. She was also a finalist for the regulator's Chairman's Award for Excellence in 2021 and 2022.
Before joining the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator, Ms. Hughes served as Senior Manager, Prosecutions, at Transport for NSW from 2019 to 2020. She led a multidisciplinary team of 35 lawyers, advocates and administrative professionals and oversaw more than 20,000 court matters annually. Her achievements included developing prosecution and mock-court training programs, establishing a multi-agency task force targeting high-risk road offenders and successfully transitioning prosecution services to remote and technology-assisted practices during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Earlier in her career, Ms. Hughes served with the NSW Police Force from 2006 to 2019, including as a senior police prosecutor and legal adviser to State Crime Command. Her work included prosecuting organized crime matters, advising complex homicide and serious crime investigations and providing legal advice during major incidents involving counterterrorism, public order, marine operations and joint operations with the Australian Defence Force.
Among her notable achievements, Ms. Hughes was responsible for complex and novel prosecutions, including a proceeding involving more than 55 co-accused members of an outlaw motorcycle gang. She helped obtain Australia's first Serious Crime Prevention Order, secured Supreme Court orders declaring four outlaw motorcycle gang clubhouses to be restricted premises and used habitual criminal legislation that had not been applied for more than 40 years.
Ms. Hughes's work in addressing organized crime received international recognition. She received the International Outstanding Prosecution Award from the International Outlaw Motorcycle Gang Investigators Association in 2018 and an International Investigation Award in 2019 for her contribution to disrupting violent conflict between outlaw motorcycle gangs.
Ms. Hughes earned a Master of Laws from the University of Wollongong, a Bachelor of Laws from the University of New England and a Bachelor of Criminology from the University of Western Sydney. She also holds an Associate Degree in Policing Practice from Charles Sturt University and has completed legal practice management, practical legal training and advanced prosecution programs.
Beyond her professional responsibilities, Ms. Hughes has contributed to professional committees and public sector decision-making. Since 2022, she has contributed to the Law Society of New South Wales, including through service on its Government Solicitors Committee and Artificial Intelligence Subcommittee. She has also participated in national prosecutor networks, the International Association of Prosecutors and professional mentoring initiatives.
Ms. Hughes serves as a sessional member of Victoria's Police Registration and Services Board, contributing to the independent determination of matters concerning police registration and professional standards. Through her legal practice, regulatory leadership and professional service, she has developed a career defined by courtroom advocacy, institutional reform, public integrity, transport safety and professional accountability.
# # #