9 February, 2026

 The New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council (NSWALC) at its first Council meeting for the year, re-elected its Chairperson and appointed a new Deputy Chairperson, cementing the leadership of NSWALC to drive the strategic direction of the NSW Aboriginal Land Rights Network for 2026. 

Councillor for the Sydney/Newcastle Region, Dr Raymond Kelly, has been re-elected as NSWALC’s Chairperson, with Councillor for the Wiradjuri Region, Cr Leeanne Hampton, elected as Deputy Chairperson. Both the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson were elected uncontested. 

Cr Hampton will step into the role following a decision by the outgoing Deputy Chairperson, Cr Ross Hampton, to not stand for re-election. Cr Ross Hampton will continue in his role as Councillor for the Western Region, a role he has held since 2019. 

Chairperson Kelly thanked Cr Ross Hampton for his significant contribution as part of the leadership team of NSWALC and his ongoing passion for the Land Rights Network during his time as Deputy Chair. 

“The Aboriginal Land Rights Network is at a pivotal moment in time. In recent years, we have taken deliberate, strategic steps to strengthen our organisation and the support we provide to Local Aboriginal Land Councils across New South Wales,” said Chairperson Kelly. 

“Cr Hampton played a critical role in progressing our strategic priorities, and we thank him for his leadership and dedication to ensuring we have the capacity and resources to better support our LALCs moving forward.” 

Incoming Deputy Chairperson of NSWLAC, Wiradjuri/Ngiyampaa woman from West Wyalong, Cr Leeanne Hampton, is a member of the NSW Government’s Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Advisory Committee and has been a serving Councillor for NSWLAC since 2019. Chairperson Kelly said Cr Hampton’s expertise will help advance NSWALC’s rights-based approach to Aboriginal Land Rights and our Cultural and Heritage. 

“We are proud of the work we are undertaking across the Network and what it is doing to uphold our vision for Aboriginal Land Rights in this State – land acquisition and activation, building on the strengths of our communities, protecting and promoting our Culture and Heritage, and securing our futures.” 

“With our leadership, we have an opportunity to strengthen our work and the support we provide to all our Local Aboriginal Land Councils (LALCs).” 

“We are bringing a human rights approach back to Land Rights and are committed to working with all levels of Government and our communities to have better outcome-based programs and services.” 

“There is still important work to be done in returning land to Aboriginal communities across NSW. We are deeply committed to working with all levels of government and our communities to deliver better outcomes. I look forward to working alongside Cr Hampton and all NSWALC Councillors to advocate for a system that operates efficiently and responds to our claims with urgency.” 

Cr Hampton is honoured to be elected as Deputy Chair. 

“I’m very honoured to be elected as NSWALC Deputy Chairperson by my fellow Councillors,’’ said Cr Hampton. 

“NSWALC is building on strong foundations to secure a stronger, more self-determined future for Aboriginal people across New South Wales. I am deeply committed to this work and take on the responsibility of serving as Deputy Chairperson.” 

“I look forward to working alongside Chairperson Kelly to deliver meaningful and lasting outcomes for our communities, and thank Cr Hampton for all he has done in this role.” 

Deputy Chairperson Hampton’s appointment reflects a broader shift across the NSW Aboriginal Land Rights Network, aligning the State peak-body to the 54 per cent of LALC Boards that currently have a women-majority Board structure in place. This momentum is echoed across NSWALC’s leadership, with Clare McHugh, the current CEO, Councillors (Cr. Anne Dennis AM, Cr Grace Toomey and Cr. Diane Randall), as well as a strong majority-female representation on NSWALC’s Youth Advisory Committee. 

“I am incredibly proud to be joining the growing number of Aboriginal women in leadership positions across the Network,” said Deputy Chairperson Hampton. 

“The strength and diversity in our leadership – including the role women and young people play – is shaping the future of Aboriginal Land Rights in New South Wales, and that is incredibly powerful.” 

For more information on NSWALC, please visit https://alc.org.au/