Tribunal executive

The Tribunal's executive comprises the President, the Native Title Registrar and three directors who head the Tribunal's divisions of Service Delivery, Corporate Services and Public Affairs, and Information and Knowledge Management.

Under the Act, the President is responsible for managing the administrative affairs of the Tribunal, assisted by the Registrar. The Registrar has responsibility for the day-to-day operations of the Tribunal, in close consultation with the President. The Registrar may delegate all or any of his or her powers under the Act to Tribunal employees. Delegates of the Registrar may assess claimant applications and indigenous land use agreements for registration, notify interested persons in the various types of applications and manage the three statutory registers.

This section contains profiles of the Tribunal executive:

• President Mr Graeme Neate

• Native Title Registrar (Acting) Mr Franklin Gaffney

• Director Service Delivery Mr Hugh Chevis

• Director Corporate Services and Public Affairs (Acting) Mr Tim Evans

Mr Franklin Gaffney

Mr Gaffney joined the Tribunal as the Director of Corporate Services and Public Affairs in November 2005. He is currently the Acting Native Title Registrar.

Mr Gaffney has extensive experience in workplace relations and employment practice both as a legal advisor to major companies and consultant to boards of organisations in the not-for-profit sector.

Before joining the Tribunal Mr Gaffney was a Senior Associate at Mallesons Stephen Jacques in Perth.

Mr Gaffney holds a Bachelor of Economics, a Bachelor of Law (Honours) and a Master of Laws in Labour Law. He has also authored a number of articles on workplace relations.

Mr Hugh Chevis

Mr Chevis has been the Tribunal's Director of Service Delivery since 1999. He joined the Tribunal in May 1995 as a Senior Case Manager. In that role, he managed native title applications in Western Australia, South Australia, Northern Territory and in the Torres Strait.

The Service Delivery division is primarily responsible for the Tribunal's regional operations and, in particular, for delivery of mediation and arbitration services and the provision of assistance in agreement making through the Tribunal's members.

Mr Chevis previously worked for the Western Australian State Government for sixteen years with experience in forestry, national parks and marine reserve management, and fisheries.

Mr Chevis has a Bachelor of Science from the Australian National University and a Master of Science from Oxford University.

Mr Tim Evans

Mr Evans joined the Tribunal as Manager of Public Affairs and Strategic Coordination in August 2002. In August 2007 he was appointed to Manager of Workforce Planning and Communication. He is currently the Acting Director Corporate Services and Public Affairs.