The National Congress of Australia's First Peoples is the new national representative body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. The Congress was incorporated as a Company Limited by Guarantee in April 2010. As a company the Congress is owned and controlled by its membership and is independent of Government. Its Co-Chairs are Jody Broun and Les Malezer. Other Board members are Brian Butler, Venessa Curnow, Dennis Eggington, Rod Little, Tammy Solonec and Daphne Yarram. The Board members were elected for a two year term in 2011.

Corporate structure

The Congress is a Public Company

Public company

This is not the same as a Government-owned corporation.A public company or publicly traded company is a limited liability company that offers its securities for sale to the general public, typically through a stock exchange, or through market makers operating in over the counter markets...

 limited

Limited liability

Limited liability is a concept where by a person's financial liability is limited to a fixed sum, most commonly the value of a person's investment in a company or partnership with limited liability. If a company with limited liability is sued, then the plaintiffs are suing the company, not its...

 by guarantee

Mutual organization

A mutual, mutual organization, or mutual society is an organization based on the principle of mutuality. Unlike a true cooperative, members usually do not contribute to the capital of the company by direct investment, but derive their right to profits and votes through their customer relationship...

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The first National Congress meeting of 120 delegates was held in June 2011. The 120 delegates nominate every 2 years to attend the annual forum.
Chambers 1 & 2 hold elections for their 40 delegates. Organisations that are members of those chambers have the right to vote for these delegates.
Individuals that nominate to be in Chamber 3 are assessed against criteria by both the Ethics Council and the National Board. Gender parity and adequate representation of the membership are included as part of the process to pick the 40 members for this chamber.
The Board is supported by an Ethics Council – a special body of experts who provide independent advice on standards and guidelines

Reception

Australian Human Rights Commissioner Mick Gooda welcomed the formation as a milestone moment for Indigenous Australians.
Northern Land Council

Northern Land Council

The Northern Land Council is in the Top End of the Northern Territory of Australia. It has its origins in the struggle of Australian Aboriginal people for rights to fair wages and land. This included the strike and walk off by the Gurindji people at Wave Hill, cattle station in 1966. The head...

 CEO Kim Hill also welcomed the formation of the Congress. Aboriginal activist Noel Pearson criticised the Congress as "a blackfella's wailing wall". Australian conservative journalist and political commentator Andrew Bolt

Andrew Bolt

Andrew Bolt is an Australian newspaper columnist, radio commentator, blogger and television host. Bolt is a columnist and associate editor of the Melbourne-based Herald Sun. He has appeared on the Nine Network, Melbourne Talk Radio, ABC Television, Network Ten and local radio...

has described the Congress as funding "professional aborigines" instead of Aboriginal people "you imagine your taxes helping".