NSWALC ELECTIONS
Elections for NSWALC Governing Council are held approximately every four years while elections for boards of Local Aboriginal Land Councils are held every two years.
NSWALC Governing Council
In accordance with the Aboriginal Land Rights Act (1983)
and the Regulations, the Electoral Commissioner for New South Wales
conducts an election of 9 Councillors of the New South Wales
Aboriginal Land Council, one Councillor to represent each of the
following Regional Aboriginal Land Council areas:
- Central Region
- Central Coast Region
- North Coast Region
- North West Region
- Northern Region
- South Coast Region
- Sydney/Newcastle Region
- Western Region
- Wiradjuri Region
Councillors are elected from the Local Aboriginal Land Council network to represent their collective views and aspirations during a four year term.
Elections for the present nine-member Governing Council were held in May 2007.
The Governing Council elects its own Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson for a two year term. Their salaries are determined, independent of NSWALC, by the NSW Statutory and Other Offices Remuneration Tribunal. The election of the NSWALC Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson takes place at the first meeting following election of the Council.
Who Can Vote
All Aboriginal people who are 18 years of age or over and
are listed on a LALC Membership Roll are entitled to vote in the
NSWALC election.
Nominations
To be a candidate a person must:
- be listed on the certified roll for the Region where he or she wishes to be a candidate.
- must complete a nomination form.
- must sign a declaration on the nomination form that they are entitled to be a candidate and consent to act if elected.
All candidates must be nominated by six (6) other people who are on the roll for the Region where a person wishes to be a candidate. A person can only nominate one (1) candidate for election of Councillor for a Region.
The completed nomination form together with a completed Statutory Declaration for "Grounds for Disqualification From Office" signed by the candidate must be lodged with the Returning Officer at the NSW Electoral Commission no later than the close of nominations date.
Voting
Voting is by by secret ballot. The voting system
for the NSWALC elections is called "optional preferential" voting.
The Electoral Commissioner for New South Wales is in charge of the
conduct of the elections.
Declaration of the
result
As soon as possible after the results are known, the Returning
Officer publicly announces the names of the candidates elected.
The Returning Officer makes a statement setting out the
result of the election and sends it to the Electoral
Commissioner.
Election of the NSWALC
Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson
The positions of Councillor for NSWALC are established
under the NSW Aboriginal Land Rights Act, 1983 (as amended) with
salaries determined by the Statutory and Other Offices Remuneration
Tribunal for Public Office Holders.
On the first day of the first meeting of the newly elected, nominations are called for the position of Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson. If more than one nomination is received for each position then a secret ballot is conducted under the auspices of the Registrar of the ALRA.
When the ballot is completed, the votes are counted by the Returning Officer. The nominee that receives the most votes is declared the winner. The successful nominees hold the positions of Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson for a two year term.