Our Council
The Northern Land Council’s Full Council is the major decision-making body within the organisation.
Map of the regional areas of the NLC with regional offices in: Katherine, Jabiru, Maningrida, Nhulunbuy, Tennant Creek, Ngukurr, Borroloola, Wadeye and Timber Creek and a head office in Darwin.
The NLC’s constituency is a representation of the Traditional Owners within its jurisdiction. There are seven regions within the NLC’s jurisdiction:
- Darwin / Daly / Wagait;
- West Arnhem;
- East Arnhem;
- Katherine;
- Victoria River District (VRD);
- Ngukurr; and
- Borroloola / Barkly.
Each region is represented by a regional council (with male and female members) and a regional Chairperson who sits on the NLC's Executive Council. Each region has a local NLC regional headquarters, with offices located in Darwin, Katherine, Jabiru, Maningrida, Nhulunbuy, Timber Creek, Tennant Creek and Ngukurr.
The Northern Land Council’s Full Council is the major decision-making body within the organisation. Full Council consists of 78 members, as well as five (5) co-opted Women's positions, elected from across the NLC’s seven (7) regions. Each region has one elected Executive Council member. The Full Council meets twice a year to provide leadership and policy directions and to ratify land use agreements.
The Council sits for three-year terms and appoints a Chair, Deputy Chair and Executive Members in its first meeting following elections. Members of the Full Council meet twice a year; the seven regional councils meet in between those meetings.
Executive Council 2019-2022
NLC Executive Council at Jabiru, December 2019
Chair: Samuel Bush-Blanasi
Deputy Chair: Calvin Deveraux
Executive Council:
- Grace Daniels - Ngukurr
- Djawa Yunupingu - East Arnhem
- Brian Pedwell - Victoria River District
- Helen Lee - Katherine
- Bill Danks - Darwin Daly Wagait
- Matthew Ryan - West Arnhem
- Chris Neade - Borroloola Barkly
15th Full Council of the Northern Land Council 2019-2022
The NLC’s elected Full Council meeting at Jabiru, December 2019
BORROLOOLA BARKLY (13 MEMBERS)
- Brian Limerick - Alexandria
- David Harvey - Borroloola
- Shaun Evans - Borroloola
- Keith Rory - Borroloola - Outstations
- Jack Green - Brunette Downs
- Chris Neade - Elliott (Executive)
- Jason Bill - Muckaty
- Jeffrey Dixon - Murranji
- Maxine Wallace - Nicholson River
- Joy Priest - North Barkly
- Richard Dixon - Robinson River
- Gordon Noonan - Rockhampton Downs
- John Finlay – Wombaya
DARWIN DALY WAGAIT (15 MEMBERS)
- Joy Cardona - Daly River
- Matthew Shields - Daly River North (Woolianna)
- Norman Miller - Daly River South (Upper Daly)
- John Sullivan - Daly River West (Woodycupildiya)
- Bill Danks - Darwin (Executive)
- Christine Jenner - Darwin
- Margaret Daiyi - Darwin South (Adelaide River)
- Graham Kenyon – Darwin East (Humpty Doo)
- Calvin Deveraux - Darwin South West (Litchfield)
- Rex Edmunds - Darwin West (Belyuen)
- Roger Wodidj - Palumpa
- John Wilson - Peppimenarti
- Aaron Banderson - Pine Creek
- Tobias Nganbe - Wadeye
- Mark Tunmack-Smith - Wadeye (North)
EAST ARNHEM (16 MEMBERS)
- Bandarr (Michael) Wirrpanda - Blue Mud Bay - Outstations
- Makugun (Brendan) Marika - Blue Mud bay - Outstations
- Peter Yawunydjurr - Galiwinku
- Jason Guyula - Galiwinku
- Kenny Guyula - Galiwinku - Outstations
- Johnny Burrawanga - Galiwinku - Outstations
- Bobby Wunungmurra - Gapuwiyak
- Jason R Butjala - Gapuwiyak
- George Milapuma - Milingimbi
- Michael Ali - Miligimbi
- David Warraya - Ramingining
- David Rumba Rumba - Ramingining
- Djawa Yunupingu - Ski Beach (Executive)
- Djawa Murrmurrna Burarrwanga - Yirrkala
- Yananymul Mununggurr - Yirrkala
- Witiyana Marika - Yirrkala
KATHERINE (7 MEMBERS)
- Helen Lee - Barunga (Executive)
- Samantha Lindsay - Bulman
- Lisa Mumbin - Katherine
- Dwayne Rosas - Katherine
- Ossie Daylight - Mataranka/Djimbra (Jilkminggan)
- John Dalywater - Weemol
- Samuel Bush-Blanasi - Wugularr (Chairman)
NGUKURR (9 MEMBERS)
- Sheila Hall Joshua - Minyerri
- Walter Rogers - Ngukurr - Outstations
- Grace Daniels - Ngukurr - Outstations (Executive)
- Gregory Daniels - Ngukurr - Outstations
- Hubert (Rami) Nunggumajbarr - Numbulwar - Outstations
- Virginia Nundhirribala - Numbulwar - Outstations
- Ernest Numamurdirdi - Numbulwar - Outstations
- Peter Lansen - Nutwood/Cox River
- Clifford Duncan - Urapunga
VICTORIA RIVER DISTRICT (6 MEMBERS)
- Kenivan Anthony - Amanbidji
- Shadrack Retchford - Bulla
- Raymond Hector - Pigeon Hole
- Lorraine jones - Timber Creek
- Brian Pedwell - Yarralin (Executive)
- Charlie Newry - Yingawunari
WEST ARNHEM (12 MEMBERS)
- June Fejo - Cobourg
- Otto Dann - Gunbalanya
- Timothy Nabegeyo - Gunbalanya - Outstations
- Wayne Wauchope - Gunbalanya - Outstations
- John Christophersen - Kakadu
- Valda Bokmarray - Maningrida
- Wayne Kala-Kala - Maningrida
- Matthew Ryan - Maningrida - Outstations (Executive)
- Julius Kernan - Maningrida - Outstations
- Matthew Nagarlbin - Minjilang
- Bunug Galaminda - Warruwi - Outstations
- Jenny Inmulugulu - Warrawi - Outstations
ABORIGINALS BENEFIT ACCOUNT ADVISORY COMMITTEE
- John Christophersen – West Arnhem
- Peter Lansen – Ngukurr
- David Harvey – Borroloola/Barkly
- Graham Kenyon – Darwin/Daly/Wagait
- Yananymul Mununggurr – East Arnhem
- Lisa Mumbin – Katherine
- Lorraine Jones – Victoria River District