5 February, 2026

The New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council (NSWALC) gathered this week for its first Council meeting for the year to discuss a range of priorities. A main outcome was the re-election of its Chairperson and the appointment of a new Deputy Chairperson, which has cemented the leadership of NSWALC to drive the strategic direction of the 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 our Land Rights Network during his time as Deputy Chair. He played a critical role in progressing our strategic priorities and ensuring we have the capacity and resources to better support our LALCs moving forward.

Incoming Deputy Chairperson of NSWALC, 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 NSWALC 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.

With the new leadership, NSWALC has an opportunity to strengthen the work and support we provide to all Local Aboriginal Land Councils (LALCs).

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.

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.”

“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.”