Disqualified land councillor runs uncontested for central region

Grace Toomey stood down from her position as Central region councillor on the NSW Aboriginal Land Council (NSWALC) in November 2023 after it was revealed she breached the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983.

Ms Toomey had undertaken one-time secondary employment without approval of the Council and, despite donating her payment, was disqualified from the council.

However, Ms Toomey is set to regain her position on the council as she goes into the upcoming land council election unopposed.

The NSWALC election will take place on Saturday, February 24, with 136 polling booths to be set up across eight of the nine regions.

The most hotly contested region will be the Mid North Coast with five candidates in the running followed by the Sydney Newcastle Region with four candidates vying for the spot.

Incumbents have put their hands up in eight of the nine regions.

"It is important we have a strong voter turnout so Aboriginal peoples can have a say in setting the future direction of NSWALC," NSWALC CEO Yuseph Deen said.

"The new Council will also be responsible for the allocation of the Council's resources and making decisions on a range of important issues affecting Aboriginal people in NSW."

Ms Toomey was first elected to the council in 2019.

The Central Region represents Aboriginal communities in Dubbo, Gilgandra, Mudgee, Narromine, Nyngan, Trangie, Warren, Weilwan, Wellington.

Central

Mid North Coast

North Coast

North Western

Northern

South Coast

Sydney Newcastle

Western

Wiradjuri