Tribunal members

Members of the National Native Title Tribunal are appointed by the Governor-General under the Native Title Act.

Members have valuable roles in:

  • mediation of native title claims
  • future act hearings and mediation processes
  • negotiation of indigenous land use agreements
  • providing assistance and helping people understand native title and its processes.

Members of the Tribunal are subject to certain statutory provisions relating to behaviour and capacity but, as they are not employees of the Australian Public Service, they are not governed by the APS Code of Conduct.

Members have voluntarily adopted a code of conduct (pdf 46KB) which outlines the ethics and standards of behaviour they need to do their work, and the procedures for dealing with alleged breaches of the code. Members also have a voluntary conflict of interest policy (pdf 51KB).

President

Mr Graeme Neate

Deputy presidents

The Hon. Christopher Sumner AM
Mr John Sosso

Full-time members

Mr John Catlin
Mr Graham Fletcher
Mr Alistair (Bardy) McFarlane
Mr Dan O'Dea
Dr Gaye Sculthorpe

Part-time members

Mr Robert Faulkner PSM
Mr Neville MacPherson
Mrs Ruth Wade

Former Tribunal members (in alphabetical order)

Name Period as member
Professor Laurence Boulle Mar 2004 – Mar 2007
The Hon. Frederick (Fred) Chaney AO Mar 1994 – Mar 2007
Mr Geoffrey Robert Clark Jun 1998 – Dec 2003
Dr Mary Edmunds Apr 1995 – Apr 2003
Ms Sue Ellis Apr 1995 – Apr 2000
Mr Rick Farley Dec 1995 – Sep 1998
Mr Seán Flood Aug 1994 – Oct 1997
The Hon Edward M (Terry) Franklyn Dec 1998 – Dec 2004
The Hon Justice Robert French May 1994 – Dec1998 (President)
The Hon Justice Peter Gray May 1995 – May 1999
Ms Joanna Kalowski Dec 1996 –Jun 1999
Ms Patricia Lane Jan 1998 – Dec 2000
Mr Anthony (Tony) Lee Jun 1995 – Jul 2003
The Hon Justice Jane Mathews July 1994 – July 1999
Mr Michael McDaniel Feb 1996 – Feb 1999
The Hon Justice Deirdre O'Connor Jan 1994 – May 1994 (President)
The Hon Justice Howard Olney May 1994 – May 1999
Ms Pam O'Neil Dec 1995 – Dec 1998
The Hon Paul Seaman QC Dec 1994 – Jan 1998
Ms Diane Smith Dec 1995 – Dec 1998
Mrs Jennifer Stuckey-Clarke Feb 2000 – Apr 2004
The Hon Ian Viner QC Jul 1994 – Jul 1997
Professor Douglas Williamson QC Dec 1996 – Dec 2005
Mr Kim Wilson Dec 1994 – Dec 1999
The Hon Hal Wootten AC QC Jul 1994 – Jul 1997

For definitions of specific native title words and terms see the Glossary.