Members

'I am a proud descendant of the Pidjarra Nation from Central Queensland through my Mother and her Mother’s Country and I am connected to the Punthamarra Nation from Southwest Queensland on my Father’s Country.

I have lived in Canberra since 1981. I consider Canberra to be home. Originally from Woorabinda, Central Queensland.

I have been an Elected Body Member since the second term to the present term (2024). My goals are:

• Create better educational path for young people.
• It’s important for our people to have representation.
• Create greater opportunities for our youth to become the leaders of tomorrow.
• Develop further employment opportunities within the Health sector for our community.

I am passionate about representing the Canberra Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community and I am committed to change for our peoples, building better relationships with community and our organisations, and building and maintaining strategic relationships with Government.'

William Thomas Tompkins is a Ngunnawal and Wiradjuri man, who was born in Cowra and has lived in Canberra since 1980.

He has worked for Galambany Court at the ACT Courts and Tribunals for the last 5 years, and is on the board of the NSW/ACT Stolen Generations Council.

Billy is involved with the Boomanulla Raiders Rugby League Football Club at Boomanulla Oval, and is an advocate for the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in the ACT.

Billy is also the founder of the Yukembruk (Black Crow) Dance Academy.

Helen Wright is an Aboriginal Budawang woman from the Yuin Nation on the South Coast of NSW with deep roots in the Nowra region.  Helen’s career journey includes over 20 years’ working in both state and Commonwealth public sectors specifically in First Nations governance and policy areas. While Helen remains an ACT Government employee, she is taking leave under secondment to the First Nations Portfolio at the Australian National University (ANU).

Volunteering for community as a member of ACT Reconciliation Council and now currently Independent Board Member for Jungarni Jutiya Indigenous Corporation (Halls Creek WA), Helen is also a member of the Tranby Aboriginal Corporation’s Aboriginal Research Advisory Group and was most recently invited to join the Expert Panel Member for the 2024 Gari Yala Project.

Being passionate about First Nations economic self-determination to support existing Closing the Gap strategies under the National and ACT Agreements Helen has now established her own consultancy, Wright Consulting Group AC, to 'build a stronger future for our children and grandchildren and to provide support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals, corporations and communities across the ACT'.

'I am a proud Wodi Wodi/Monero (Yuin) woman from Wreck Bay Aboriginal Community located within the Jervis Bay Territory (ACT). I have resided on Ngunnawal/Ngambri country for a number of years now and love living and working on this beautiful Country. I am passionate about Indigenous affairs, social justice and preserving the rights of our people both personally and professionally. By day I work for the National Indigenous Australians Agency and by night I enjoy supporting our community through voluntary work, participation in community events and providing aid through my family’s charity and catering company (McLeod’s Angels).

I am a proud member of the local LGBTQIA+ community and support/advocate for our First Nations people in particular our young people in this space. My passion for community work extends outside the ACT, as a volunteer Fire Fighter in the NSW Rural Fire Service. I have gained a number of years of experience as a representative on multiple Boards, including as an Executive Director of the Wreck Bay Aboriginal Community Council Board and a member of the First Nations Rainbow Board.

I have over 25 years' experience working in Indigenous affairs and as a proud First Nations woman I am passionate about advancing Indigenous platforms, social justice through equality, supporting marginalised grass-roots groups and advocating for all matters relating to our people locally, nationally and internationally.

I pride myself on learning from our Elders and using my voice and platforms to advance our people.'

Born and raised in Canberra, Vicki is a proud Ngunnawal and Guringi woman with her family heritage coming from Queanbeyan, here on Ngunnawal country.

Vicki has over 40 years’ experience in both the non-government and government human services sectors in the ACT, NSW and WA, commencing her career in the ACT at the QUAMBY Juvenile Detention Center, (now Bimberi). Vicki followed on by working in youth residential care, as well as in Child Services working with youth at risk in a street-work program in WA and NSW. While in WA she was employed by the Ministry of Justice Youth Taskforce and worked in both Youth and Adult Corrections.

After returning home to her Ngunnawal homelands, Vicki worked for the ACT Government in both the adult and youth justice sectors, working with offenders of all ages. As a frontline worker in these sectors, Vicki witnessed the harsh reality of these environments daily.

As a founding Board member and Treasurer of the Aboriginal Justice Centre, Vicki was integral in ensuring the provision of culturally appropriate service delivery to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people going through the ACT Justice System.

Vicki was also a member of the Aboriginal Justice Advisory Committee (AJAC), a ministerially appointed position and continued in pursuit of some other ACT initiatives such as the Aboriginal Justice Centre, inaugural Member of Circle Sentencing, AD&A Residential Centre and the Aboriginal Legal Centre for the ACT.

Vicki also helped to set up many programs during her career including the Elders Visiting Scheme and the Induction Officer Role and Detainee Induction Package at the Belconnen Remand Centre, which continued into the Alexander Maconochie Centre prison.

Vicki is now a proud Board Member and Treasurer of Yerrabi Yurwang and uses any spare time she has to help Mob currently involved in the justice, family violence and child welfare systems, to acquire vital early intervention supports. She is also the Co-Chairperson for the ACT Justice Caucus and a Panel Member for the newly Therapeutic Support Panel, and is on the Elected Body.

Vicki completed academic studies in the ACT and WA and is a registered Justice of the Peace, volunteering her services to the community and the ACT Magistrates Court, which she continues today.