CLC DELEGATES – REGION 7
Eastern Sandover
Jackie Mahoney
Mr Mahoney co-ordinated the Rainbow Gateway employment program and is now a board member of the organisation.
He is also a member of the CLC’s local community lease money-working group, the Alpururrulam local (government) authority, the community’s church and store committees and the Ooratippra and Bonya native title-holding corporations.
“I am encouraging more young people to be involved in the council, helping them to make healthy choices in the community.
I am proud of working with the land council and how the council has helped with water problems in the community. I am proud of the Human Rights Award I won through this work.”
Gary Fowler
Mr Fowler is a member of the native title holder body Ooratippra Aboriginal Corporation.
He worked at Rainbow Gateway’s employment program for 27 years gaining skills in woodworking and mechanics. He previously worked for Power and Water where he maintained bores and did housing maintenance to make sure homes had power and water.
Mr Fowlers grandfather was the president [check if there was such a position] of the Alpurrurulam community and Mr Fowler wants to “step in for the old people who have left”.
“Old people have taught me a lot growing up, teaching me things like culture and how to talk up strong. Now I want to stand up for the community and make our voices heard.”
“I want to make sure communities and homelands have what they need for people to live there. I want to make positive changes. We keep seeing the same things, the same problems, it’s time to change now, and make things better.”
Joyce Jones
Ms Jones is a former health and housing worker who helps young mums and dads to look after their children. She is the deputy chair of the Urapuntja Aboriginal Corporation [and a director of Aboriginal Housing NT.
“I am listening to their stories and recording them sometimes, for the younger generations, because sometimes mining comes to search our land and not even ask, and damage the land. Sometimes outside people come and tell people from the homelands to move into one big area. It’s sad for the traditional owners and causes fighting. We’re born with our culture and families have got to make their own decisions. Outsiders have to ask us first before they change things.”
Ms Jones is also on the board of the Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority.
She wants contracts for housing and roadworks to be awarded to and managed by Aboriginal people and their organisations.
“I’m here for the community, to find out what’s happening and why they keep on changing the laws. Our laws don’t change. We need funding to keep families on their homelands and to support young people working in communities, as builders and police officers.”
Graham Long
Mr Long represents the Eastern Sandover region on the CLC’s executive committee.
He works at the Arlparra High School and is a former store employee.
He is on the board of the Urapuntja Aboriginal Corporation and a member of the CLC’s local community development working group.
He helps the Utopia rangers to look after water and threatened species. “In our water hole we have a special flower. They call it the Sandover Lily. The rangers look after it. They put a fence around it because cattle are getting in there.”
Mr Long runs Sunday school for the kids of the Boundary Bore homeland in “a little tin house” and says the community needs a church.
He wants to get native title recognition for his country, some of which is on Mount Skinner Station. He looks after sacred sites on the station, but the pastoralist locks the gates.
He wants the government to listen to traditional owners and speaks up for his community. “I’m really proud of my community for looking after cultural safety, stopping violence and alcohol.”
His late father was the chair of the Urapuntja Aboriginal Corporation for many years. “I saw the work done and wanted to do the same.”
Vacant
Details coming.
Esau Nelson
Mr Nelson works at the Alparra School and chairs the school council.
He is on the board of the Urapuntja Aboriginal Corporation and used to be their chair. He is a director of Urapuntja Health Aboriginal Corporation.He is also a member of the CLC’s local community development working group.
He is proud in the new water park which created employment for young people, and advocates for transport for footy teams so they can attend games in other communities. “It’s important for young people to stay out bush and not hang around town.”
On the council Mr Nelson wants to speak up about housing, homeland maintenance and more jobs for young people.
Harris Lewis
Mr Lewis has been a night patrol worker since 2024, keeping the children safe and looking after the community.
“I am proud of my country and happy to fight for my family.”
He is following the footsteps of his grandfather, Mr Peterson. “He was a good man, he used to take us to meetings and show us country, teaching us.”
Malcom Club
Mr Club is on the board of the Urapuntja and Urapuntja Health Aboriginal corporations and helps to maintain around 40 outstations in the Utopia.
He used to play footy for the Hawks and is following in the footsteps of his father, a former long-term CLC delegate.
He is looking forward to learning more with other delegates and looking after community and family.
Danny Mills
Mr Mills worked in recycling in Tennant Creek for many years and for the sewerage works in Alpurrurulam (Lake Nash).
He represents the Welere homelands on the board of the Urapuntja Aboriginal Corporation.
“I want to talk up especially about jobs on community, housing and roads. We can’t leave Irrultja when it rains because of the floods. My brother was a CLC delegate in the 1990s and 2000s. He fought for Welere too.”