Hugh Woodbury steps down as NAAJA chair in major board reshuffle

The head of the country’s largest Aboriginal legal service will step down as chair, months after the organisation backed him to remain in the role amid a domestic violence scandal. LATEST.

The head of the country’s largest Aboriginal legal service will step down as chair, months after the organisation backed him to remain in the role amid a domestic violence scandal.

The North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency has announced Hugh Woodbury would step aside as chairman but remain a director, while several other directors would step down from the board.

Current acting chief executive Phil Brown will also leave the organisation, and not return to his substantive role of deputy as previously announced.

Hugh Woodbury will resign as NAAJA chair but remain as a board director. Picture: Che Chorley

Over recent months some in the Territory legal profession have called for the entire board to be replaced – pointing to morale and retention issues, months of key services not being delivered, and the decision to back Mr Woodbury in the top job.

Mr Woodbury was appointed chair in April, four years after receiving a non-conviction for an aggravated assault on his pregnant partner.

When revelations of the assault came to light in June the NAAJA board defended knowingly hiring Mr Woodbury, arguing he had undertaken extensive family counselling and deserved a second chance.

NAAJA has faced persistent leadership instability in recent years.

Highly credentialed consultant Anthony Beven will commence as acting chief executive next week, making him the sixth boss in less than two years.

Anthony Beven, a non-Indigenous adviser specialising in ‘not-for-profit corporate reconstruction’ will commence as NAAJA acting chief on Tuesday. PICTURE: JUSTIN BRIERTY

In a statement on Thursday NAAJA said it had started work on modernising its constitution, which included a review of the size and structure of its board.

Currently, up to 16 directors can sit on the board.

“Over the past year, NAAJA has been working closely with the Office of the NT Attorney-General and appointed advisers to implement recommendations from the strategic, governance, and operational review conducted by KPMG in early 2023,” the statement said.

“As the KPMG report noted, NAAJA has significant strengths, including the quality of its service delivery, which was found to be client-centric, responsive, and committed to achieving the best outcomes for clients, as well as its committed staff and deep community ties.

“The review also noted that NAAJA had grown substantially in size and complexity over the preceding 15 years and recommended updates to systems, processes, and procedures to service the needs of a larger organisation.

“NAAJA will shortly commence a process of recruiting new directors with appropriate experience and expertise across the fields of governance, finance, legal affairs, and risk management, as well as critical first-person experience and knowledge of Aboriginal communities and their needs.”

It said Mr Brown had made a “difficult decision” to resign as he relocates for family reasons.

Acting deputy chief Matthew Connop will continue in the role.