NEW CENTRAL LAND COUNCIL CHAIR’S DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HISTORY REVEALED

A leading Indigenous leader, recently appointed as the chair of the Central Land Council, has had his extensive criminal and police history uncovered. Mr Warren Williams was appointed as Chair of the Central Land Council in September 2024.

An overdue reply to a question on notice asked by Senator Jacina Nampijinpa Price in November 2024 has revealed the new Chair has an extensive criminal record, including multiple domestic violence order breaches, assault, being armed with an offensive weapon. Several of the offences incurred time in gaol.

In December 2024, Mr Williams chose, almost one month after Senator Nampijinpa Price’s question was asked, to intimate at his own past after I asked a question at Estimates which made its public exposure inevitable.

“The government needs to act immediately. The Minister saw fit to intervene in the Anindilyakwa Land Council, when she became aware that there were issues with the board, and she needs to immediately intervene in this case as well,” Senator Nampijinpa Price said.

“How absurd does the situation have to become before we say enough is enough? The Central Land Council is a key organisation in the lives of the most marginalised and vulnerable Australians in the country, and yet it is being run by someone with a serious criminal history.”

Senator Nampijinpa Price said, “this is yet another example of the racism of low expectations this government applies when it comes to Indigenous organisations and leaders. We simply wouldn’t stand for this in any other organisation, but for some reason we have a different standard that is applied in cases like these.”

Senator Nampijinpa Price reiterated her call for an Inquiry into Land Councils and other statutory authorities, “it’s not just the instance of someone with this history having a position of power in a land council, but the circumstances that allow for it to happen.”

The revelations about Mr Williams come one day after the government’s tabling of the Closing the Gap 2024 Annual Report and 2025 Implementation Plan and one week after they announced $842 million as part of the Northern Territory Remote Aboriginal Investment plan. Senator Nampijinpa Price pointed out the Central Land Council was a contributor to both, saying “under the closing the gap framework, the Central Land Council, whilst having a chair who has spent time in gaol for breaching domestic violence orders, are a contributor to the policy process for marginalised Indigenous Australians.”

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Media Contact: Rebekah Hart – 0459 893 181