NLC Chair
Mr Matthew Ryan
NLC Chair Matthew Ryan
At the 126th NLC Full Council Meeting on March 11th, 2024, Matthew Ryan garnered the support of his fellow councillors from across the NLC’s seven regions to be elected as the ninth NLC Chairperson.
Of Barabarra, Wurrpann, and Gurindiji descent, Mr Ryan resides in Maningrida. He was first elected to the NLC in 2004 and had been serving a second non-consecutive term as a NLC Executive Council member (West Arnhem region) since 2022.
Through the Council and his various community leadership roles Mr Ryan has called for improvements to education, telecommunications, and health services. A staunch advocate for constitutional recognition, he has also consistently campaigned for greater electoral participation.
Mr Ryan previously worked as an Aboriginal Community Police Officer in the Northern Territory Police Force and as a Djelk Community Ranger with Bawinanga Aboriginal Corporation (BAC). He was elected to the board of BAC before serving as Chairperson for two terms. He is a long-serving councillor for the West Arnhem Regional Council and is currently serving his second term as Council Mayor. He also holds positions on the boards of the BAC, Homelands School Company, and Aboriginal Housing NT.
Mr Ryan will lead the NLC as Chair until December 2025, when Aboriginal communities from across the Top End will once again appoint representatives to the Council.
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