Francis Kelly new CLC chairman

By ERWIN CHLANDA
 
Yuendumu elder and film maker Francis Jupurrurla Kelly was today elected as the chairman of the Central Land Council. He was the deputy-chairman and a CLD delegate for the past 12 years.
 
He has been in the media sector since 1984 and is the chairperson for Pintubi Anmatjere Warlpiri Media & Communications (PAW Media aka Warlpiri Media), as well as a board member for Indigenous Remote Communication Associations (IRCA).
 
Warlpiri Media established the first Aboriginal TV station in Australia.
 
Mr Kelly, aged 62, was one of three Warlpiri people who developed ideas on Aboriginal control of video production and broadcasting that continue to have an impact on Aboriginal media today, according to a website about Mr Kelly.
 
He is a co-producer of the national television hit, Bush Mechanics, as well as the dramatised documentary, Coniston.
 
UPDATE 4pm:
 
Mr Kelly said: “Members have got to work hand in hand with staff to keep this land council strong into the future. Together, we must fight for our children to get a good bilingual and bicultural education, whether they live in outstations, communities or town. They deserve no less.
 
“I want us to support outstation people to set up and run their own businesses and to lobby governments to put Aboriginal people in charge of services through their own independent outstation resource centres.
 
Mr Butcher (at left), a well known musician from Papunya, called the election a new beginning for the CLC and him personally.
 
“We can overcome our difficulties by all working together. Francis and I are both artists and role models and we’ll support each other for the betterment of our people.”
 
The 67 delegates present at the CLC’s special council meeting in Tennant Creek voted in an election conducted by the Australian Electoral Commission and observed by the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.
 
The delegates voted for a new chair after the Daguragu community near Kalkarindji elected Michael George as their new CLC delegate on September 9, replacing the community’s previous representative, Mr Maurie Ryan, the outgoing chairman.