Make your voice heard! Help elect your region's representatives for the ALS.
The Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW/ACT) Ltd is owned and governed by representatives of the Aboriginal communities we serve. It’s time to elect those representatives for the next 3 years.
Join us for a cuppa and lunch, and cast your vote for ALS members on Saturday 25 May 2024.
Elections will be conducted at:
- Northern Region: Tamworth
- Western Region: Parkes
- Central South Eastern Region: Queanbeyan
We will update this page with exact times and locations shortly. Feel free to bookmark it in the meantime!
View the applicants for your region:
(Not sure which region you're in? View our map in the Q&As below.)
Questions & answers
How does ALS governance work?
The Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW/ACT) Ltd is a public company limited by guarantee. As an Aboriginal community-controlled organisation, we are guided by an Aboriginal board and owned by our members, who are elected every 3 years.
We have a total of up to 30 members. This includes up to 10 people elected in each region: Northern, Western, and Central South Eastern. (These regions are set out by the ALS Constitution; you can view a map here.)
Once the members are elected in each region, they get to appoint up to 4 regional directors to the ALS Board. The Board has a maximum of 12 regional directors on the Board (4 from each region) plus it may appoint up to 2 honorary directors.
What do members do?
Members have a key role in the governance of the organisation. Under the ALS Constitution, the role of a member is to:
- participate in the appointment of directors; and
- facilitate communication between Aboriginal communities and the ALS, including by facilitating communication between the traditional owners of the region and the organisation
As a member, your rights include:
- receiving notice of upcoming members’ meetings
- having a right to one vote at a meeting of members
- appointing a proxy to vote on your behalf at meetings of members
- receiving a copy of the annual report
Who is eligible to become a member?
Please note that applications for ALS membership have now closed. All applicants were required to register for an application pack before 28 March and return the completed pack to the ALS within a fortnight of receipt.
To become an ALS member, you must be:
- Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
- An adult (18+)
- Living in the region in which you are applying (Northern, Western, or Central South Eastern) for at least 1 year before you apply, and continue to live there throughout your membership term
You must not be:
- Employed by the ALS, either now or within the last 3 years
- In the past 5 years:
- Convicted of an indictable offence that was dealt with on indictment
- Declared bankrupt under the Bankruptcy Act 1996 (Cth)
- Convicted of an offence of dishonesty, including fraud
- Convicted of any other offence which has resulted in a term of imprisonment for a period of 6 months or more.
How can I become an ALS director?
To become a director, you must first become a member (please note that the application period for membership in 2024 has now closed).
Following the election, and once the eligibility of the interim candidates for each region has been confirmed by the board, the members-elect will select directors from among themselves. There can be up to four directors from each region.
Members and directors will take office from 1 July 2024.
What do directors do?
The responsibilities of the ALS Board and its directors include:
- the overall governance and strategic direction of the ALS
- the management of the Company, through the CEO
- overseeing ALS policies and procedures
- reporting to members
- overseeing the performance of the CEO
When and where is the member election?
The ALS member election is taking place on Saturday 25 May 2024 at:
- Northern Region: Tamworth
- Western Region: Parkes
- Central South Eastern Region: Queanbeyan
This webpage will be updated shortly with the exact locations and polling times.
Who can vote in the member election?
Aboriginal adults living in NSW and the ACT are eligible to vote in the ALS member election. You may only vote once, and only in the region where you ordinarily live (please see below for a map of ALS regions).
If you wish to vote, you will need to do so in person and MUST bring photo ID to show that you are over 18 and live within the region you are voting in.
Which ALS region am I in?
We have 3 regions: Northern, Western, and Central South Eastern. View our map to see which region you're located in.
What should I bring to the election?
Please bring photo ID to show that you are over 18 and live within the region you are voting in. And bring your Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander family and friends if they’d also like to have a say in their regional ALS representatives!
How were the applicants for membership selected?
The ALS conducted an application process by advertisement (on this website, on social media, through our offices, and in newspapers) whereby eligible individuals were invited to register their interest by the due date. From there, each individual was given a fortnight from the date they received their application pack to return the completed pack.
All people who submitted correctly completed application packs by the deadline are now candidates for the election in their region.
What is the voting process?
If you wish to vote for members, you will be asked to sign an attendance register when you arrive.
When voting commences, you will be provided with a ballot paper to vote. Ballot papers for each region will contain the names of all the applicants for that region, in alphabetical order.
You should select up to 10 members out of the applicants, numbering your choices from 1 to 10 in any order (by placing a number in the box next to the applicant’s name).
You may select less than 10 candidates if you wish to (i.e. just select 1 name), but you may not select any more than 10. If more than 10 candidates are elected on a ballot paper, that vote will be invalid.
Once you've completed your ballot paper, you must place it in the designated ballot box.
Can I be a proxy for people who aren't able to attend?
Only those attending in person are eligible to vote. It is not possible to vote by proxy, post, telephone or email, or in any other form.
Who will count the votes?
ALS staff members will be attending the election meetings to assist in their smooth coordination. Nominated senior staff members will oversee the counting process.
What happens if there is a tie in the votes?
If there is a tie in the votes between any applicants, there will be a second vote, but only for those tied positions that would result in more than 10 members representing each region.
What if I make a mistake on my ballet paper or damage it?
If you believe you have made an error in completing your ballot paper or damage it, you may be given another one, but the original must be returned to a staff member involved in the ballot paper distribution.
If you believe you have made an error in completing your ballot paper and it has already been placed in the ballot box, it will not be possible to receive another.
What if someone challenges the Aboriginality of an applicant?
Each membership applicant has completed a statutory declaration stating that they are of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander background and the applicants have been submitted to the board.
If a person wishes to challenge the Aboriginality of a candidate, they should do so in writing to the Company Secretary at [email protected] or at the ALS Head Office, PO Box 646, Surry Hills NSW 2010.
When will the elected members be confirmed?
After votes are counted, the ALS Board will assess and confirm eligibility of interim candidates in accordance with the criteria set out above. We will officially announce the elected members in June after they are confirmed by the Board.
This webpage will be updated with the names of confirmed members. Members will take office for 3 years from 1 July 2024.
Other questions?
For further information, please email [email protected] or call (02) 9213 4100 and press 3.