Ruth Brisbane
Workplace Investigator
LLB BSW
Ruth Brisbane is an expert investigator with more than 20 years’ experience across investigation practice, systemic reviews, complaints assessment, and regulatory processes in the child protection, disability, health, and community services sectors.
What distinguishes Ruth is her pathway into investigations. Rather than coming from a traditional employment law background, she brings qualifications in both social work and law. Her career began in child protection, where she investigated allegations of harm, prepared court reports and represented the Department of Human Services in the Children’s Court. This combination of legal and human services expertise gives her a deep understanding of vulnerability, trauma, risk and the law, enabling her to manage complex and sensitive matters through a legal and trauma-informed lens.
Ruth has extensive experience leading investigations into allegations of abuse, practitioner misconduct and critical incidents across the health, disability and child protection sectors. Through senior roles in statutory complaints oversight, health practitioner regulation and child protection, she has developed a strong understanding of regulatory, organisational and individual accountability. She has also led systemic reviews into deaths in care, serious incidents and medico-legal matters, identifying risks and recommending improvements to governance, safeguarding and service quality. Ruth is highly skilled in evidence gathering and analysis, interviewing, report writing, and preparing clear, legally sound findings and recommendations.