Coonabarabran Local Aboriginal Land Council (CLALC) recently welcomed a new chief executive offcer (CEO), Brandon Nixon. The Coonabarabran Times talks to Brandon for a Q&A about his new role and his plans for the future of CLALC.

Tell me a bit about yourself?

I am a local Gamilaraay man and have lived in Coonabarabran the majority of my life. I spent time studying in Newcastle and working in Brisbane for a short time before making my way back home. I enjoy working, spending time with family and friends and, safe to say, everyone knows I don’t mind a drink or two...

Why did the role of CEO of CLALC appeal to you?

I had previously applied for administration work with the CL ALC, but other opportunities came about. I have been a member of the Youth Committee of the CLALC for the past 12 months, so the interest in the CLALC and what it does was already there. When I sadly heard that the previous CEO had resigned, I was asked to assist with the running of the CLALC whilst the position was recruited. During that time, I got to see what the CLALC does and within a few days I thought “I can see myself working in this environment, I am going to apply.”

What experience do you bring to the role?

I have a range of experience that I bring to the role – connection with the community, education, social media, tourism, events and administration, which I believe will all beneft the CEO role and CLALC community.

What do you hope to achieve as CEO?

The previous CEO left big shoes to fill and I hope I can continue to fill those shoes. I hope to achieve a sense of unity back within the local Indigenous community to be able to work together to achieve goals for our mob. There are some great works in the pipeline, and I have already seen some great opportunities which will allow the CLALC to grow.

What is the purpose of the CLALC in the local community? What does the organisation do?

The role of a LALC in the community is to help and support their traditional owners acquire and manage their land.

What do you think is the CLALC’s biggest strength at the moment?

The biggest strength currently of the CLALC is support and teamwork. There are lots of projects happening and to have the team and leader support to be able to confidently complete them all is a real strength.

What areas would you like to improve on?

Communication with community and boosting the profle of the CLALC in the community.

What are your goals for CLALC in the coming years?

The first thing is to prepare and enjoy the NAIDOC Ball, which is an exciting first-time event – so everybody grab your tickets! We also hope to increase the property of the CLALC and provide more socially affordable housing for our mob. Another huge project in the pipeline is the development of Burra Bee Dee and securing the funding to complete these works.