The formation of the Aboriginal Justice Advisory Committee (AJAC) ensures key departmental strategic policy directions and instruments will operate with meaningful involvement from significant Aboriginal community advisors. The purpose of the AJAC is to provide cultural advice and guidance to the Department of Justice on justice matters relevant to the Aboriginal community.
The Department of Justice, in its inaugural Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), committed to establishing an Aboriginal advisory group comprising of external members to the Department, to provide cultural advice and guidance. The establishment of such a body was a key RAP deliverable endorsed by the Department of Justice Corporate Executive Committee (CEC).
Previous Communique available below.
The AJAC meets with the Department of Justice, Corporate Executive Committee.
From left to right: AJAC Member Daniel English, AJAC Member George Hayden, Dr Adam Tomison, Tony Clark, AJAC Member Joslyn Eades-Tass, Jim August, Geoff Lawn, Pauline Bagdonavicius, AJAC Member Elizabeth Ellis, Joanne Stampalia, Mike Reynolds, Alison Jackson, AJAC Member Ella Smith, John Byrne, Kylie Maj and Patricia Mwiragua.
Quarterly Meeting Schedule 2023
Show moreQuarter One
Tuesday 7 March and Wednesday 8 March 2023
Quarter Two
Wednesday 31 May and Thursday 1 June 2023
Quarter Three
Wednesday 23 August and Thursday 24 August 2023
Quarter Four
Wednesday 22 November and Thursday 23 November 2023
Member Profiles
Show moreKylie Maj (Acting Chair), Acting Director General of the Department of Justice.
Gina Hill (Secretariat)is a Wilman Noongar woman and Director of the Aboriginal Justice Transformation Directorate, Department of Justice.
Jean O’Reeri (East Kimberley)
Jean is a Wilinggin woman from Karunjie Station on the Gibb River Road. Ms O’Reeri has lived and worked in Wyndham in the East Kimberley region since the 1960s and worked as an Aboriginal teaching assistant for over twenty years. Ms O’Reeri has held various directorships with Aboriginal Corporations in the East Kimberley and currently works as an Aboriginal Education Liaison for Catholic Education Western Australia in Wyndham.
Kylie Le Lievre (West Kimberley)
Kylie is a Nykina woman and employed by the Department of Justice and works at Broome Regional Prison. Ms Le Lievre has previously worked for the Department of Education in Boulder and Broome, and for the Western Australian Country Health Service.
Henry Lockyer (Pilbara)
Henry was born and raised in the Port Hedland area and is connected to the Banjima and Ngarluma peoples. Mr Lockyer is closely aligned to the cultural leaders in the Port Hedland area and maintains respectful relationships within the Community. Mr Lockyer has considerable board and secretariat experience in the Aboriginal Affairs space and possesses a Bachelor of Applied Science in Community Development and Management.
Daisy Ward (Ngaanyatjarra Lands, shared role with Lizzie Ellis)
Daisy is a senior Elder and valued member of the Warakurna Community, and the broader Ngaanyatjarra Lands. Ms Ward was the recipient of the 2020 WA Department of Education Director General’s Women of Achievement award for her work in cross-cultural education, her ability to educate and communicate about the two ‘worlds’ the Yarnangu people operate in and for her advocacy of remote Aboriginal students.
Elizabeth Ellis (Ngaanyatjarra Lands, shared role with Daisy Ward)
Lizzie is a senior Elder and valued member of the Warakurna Community, and the broader Ngaanyatjarra Lands. Ms Ellis has a major and internationally recognized role in the study of traditional Aboriginal languages and in 2019 received her Honorary Doctorate from the Australian National University for her contributions.
When approached to express interest in joining the AJAC, Ms Ward and Ms Ellis proposed that they share the position connected to the Ngaanyatjarra Lands, in recognition of Ms Ward’s duty as an Elder to pass on traditional knowledge over time, to Ms Ellis, her younger sister. The way they do this is to work together, and this is their current practice in these sorts of advisory roles. Their joint appointment is the Department’s acknowledgment of the value of the traditional transfer of cultural knowledge and is the first time a WA public sector agency has taken this Aboriginal-led approach to advisory appointments.
Daniel English (Mid-West Gascoyne)
Daniel is a Malgana man and an employee of the Department of Health, working as a Human Resource Consultant. He has previously worked for the Department of Justice and has experience as an Aboriginal Mental Health Worker, Operations Manager for the Aboriginal Visitor’s Service and as a Prison Support Officer.
Justin Kickett (North Metropolitan)
Justin is a Whadjuk Noongar man with over 20 years’ experience as a Western Australian Police Officer. He is currently the Director and Operations Manager of Six Seasons Resources and is Chairperson of the Gwambygine and Mibrong Aboriginal Corporations.
Amanda King (South Metropolitan)
Amanda is a Noongar and Barkandji-Ngiyampaa woman with connections to Whadjuk, Balardong, Yued and Wilman Noongar groups. She has 10 years experience in the public service, has represented youth at state and national level and has experience with boards and committees. She is currently studying and volunteers as a parent member of her local school council. Amanda looks forward to connecting with mob from across the state, sharing her knowledge, and learning from other AJAC members.
George Hayden (South West)
George is a Njaki Njaki Noongar man and former manager of the Noongar Language Centre. Mr Hayden is currently a member of the Western Australian Prisoners Review Board. Mr Hayden was previously an Associate Lecturer at the Centre for Aboriginal Studies at Curtin University of Technology.
Joslyn Eades-Tass (Great Southern)
Joslyn is a Noongar Woman who has custodian ties to the Wagyl Kaip and South West Boojarah regions of the South West. Ms Eades-Tass is the founding Director of the Dream a Dream Foundation and is a Member to the Supervised Review Release Board, and Panel Member to the Care Planning Review Panel. Ms Eades-Tass is also a WA Director for the NATISWA and Accordwest boards and a Committee member with NAIDOC Perth.
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