Aboriginal Congress: Convicted land council boss Warren Williams should be celebrated

The Central Australian Aboriginal Congress has defended Central Land Council chair Warren Williams, claiming he needs to be ‘celebrated’ for his leadership despite having an extensive criminal record.

Central Land Council chair Warren Williams. Picture: Central Land Council

You can now listen to The Australian's articles. Give us your feedback.

You can now listen to The Australian's articles.

The Central Australian Aboriginal Congress has defended the embattled chair of the Central Land Council, Warren Williams, saying he needs to be “celebrated” for his leadership despite having an extensive criminal record, ­including assault and multiple instances of contravening domestic violence orders.

In a statement issued after The Australian revealed Mr Williams’ criminal record, the congress’ male health manager, Michael Liddle, said the newly appointed chair played a crucial role in programs aimed at helping Indigenous men turn their lives around.

Mr Williams was elected chair of the CLC – which represents 24,000 remote Indigenous people – in September last year despite a string of convictions between 2008 and 2015.

Having known and worked with Mr Williams for decades, Mr Liddle attested to his rehabilitation and commitment to change, saying his experience was a valuable asset. “Rather than being put down, Warren should be celebrated. Not just for how he lives his life now, but for his practical action and solutions, and fearless sharing of his story with the people that can benefit from it most,” Mr Liddle said.

“Finding men like Warren Williams is incredibly hard. He will drive all night to get to the sessions because he knows that his lived experience is what those men need to see and hear.”

He said Mr Williams had maintained sobriety for over a decade and had publicly spoken about his past, including at a domestic violence march in December, where he discussed taking responsibility for his actions and the changes he has made.

“Do you know how hard it is for Aboriginal men to get up and talk about violence? When will people stop damning those men who do,” he said.

Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price. Picture: James Horan

In a fiery speech to the Senate on Wednesday, Coalition senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price accused the Albanese government of fostering “cultural acceptance of violence and low expectations of Indigenous leaders”, citing Mr Williams as an example.

“Too many Indigenous community leaders who are Labor-aligned of course are failing our women by refusing to acknowledge that there is a problem or ­exhibiting behaviour that is any better,” Senator Price said. “In fact, we have a striking ­example of this newly appointed chair of the Central Land Council, Mr Warren Williams, who has publicly said that he doesn’t agree with me and that is all very well.”

Senator Price questioned whether the federal government vetted Mr Williams before appointing him to a leadership role, arguing that figures with historic domestic violence records should not be placed in such positions.

“Maybe if they (the federal government) didn’t have a chairmen who had a history of domestic violence, I would stop calling them out,” she said.

“I will continue to call out the racism of low expectations that we apply to Indigenous people, especially those in leadership ­positions.”