How I Got Here: ACT Victims of Crime Commissioner, Heidi Yates
Posted on
Admit it, we’ve all been there – stalking social media and LinkedIn profiles, trying desperately to figure out how the hell someone got their dream job.
It seems impossible and yet there they are, living out your career fantasy (minus the itchy business suit). It might seem hard to believe, but once upon a time, they were also fantasising about their future career, and with some hard work, they made it.
Welcome to How I Got Here, HerCanberra’s series that reveals everything you want to know about the secrets of career success. Recently named the Women & Leadership Australia’s (WLA) 2025 ACT Award recipient of the Australian Awards for Excellence in Women’s Leadership, Heidi Yates is a human rights lawyer and activist making change in our community. As the ACT Victims of Crime Commissioner, she drives groundbreaking reforms that improve access to justice. Beyond her official role, Heidi chairs and advises boards and committees that champion social equality.
We sat down with her to find out how she balances it all.
Existential crisis time: Who are you and what do you do?
I’m Heidi, lifelong Canberra local, pianist, gardener, baker, walker, and novice pickleballer. Proud member of a rowdy extended family affectionately known as rent-a-crowd.
On my best days, I work with others to improve our justice system, giving voice to those in our community who have first-hand experience of what needs fixing. On my worst, I binge-watch The West Wing and live in hope.
Let’s go back to when you were a kid, have you always dreamed of working in this industry?
Not really. I dreamed of being as cool as my older sister. I hope that most kids wouldn’t dream of my job being necessary. But I did dream of being someone who could be helpful, and that’s what I get to do in my current role.
Tell us about when you were first starting out, what set a fire in your belly to get here and how did you do it?
My mum did crisis intervention work from home on a 24-hour hotline for people experiencing violence. Even as a young person, I realised how important this work was.
I got here by taking the first relevant job that was offered to me. They said I had little relevant experience but was so enthusiastic at the interview, they’d let me give it a crack. Since then, I’ve worked to stay in jobs where I get to engage with people in my community and work alongside them to fix systemic problems.
Recall a time when you wanted to chuck it all in; what did you tell yourself when it got too hard?
The only way to get through the day is to take the next step on the path in front of you. Take a deep breath. Make a cup of tea. Phone a friend. Eat a biscuit. Keep going.
What was your biggest break?
Finding my people when I joined Legal Aid ACT.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
Listen.
What is it about your industry that you love and what makes you want to pull your hair out?
My brilliant colleagues and our clients are the reasons I get to work each day. I owe my premature greys to bureaucracy that impedes progress.
Tell us how you ‘stay in the know’, what media do you consume?
My partner is an old-skool media monitor (and yes, includes Her Canberra in the Daily Wrap). I get the morning highlights, and then the evening update – including the weather and tide heights of the nearest beach. Weekends – I delight in The Saturday Paper.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
In front of an open fire, on a beach or in a river at high tide.
Why should people follow in your footsteps?
People should follow their own path. I’d be glad to follow their lead. Young people seem to know where they’re going.
What advice would you give your past self?
Worry less. Do your best. Try to relax. Want to be a triathlete? Do it now! It will be much harder later.
