The New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council (NSWALC) elected a new leadership team in February 2026 to lead the statewide council for the 2026–2028 term. Their decisions will influence funding and strategic support for Local Aboriginal Land Councils, including the Forster Local Aboriginal Land Council (Forster LALC).
The nine elected regional Councillors voted to elect a new Chair and Deputy Chair at the statutory mid‑term meeting. That leadership participates in decisions over the Statutory Investment Fund and other statewide funding, which in turn affects allocations to local projects and operations.
Those state leaders will influence major regional initiatives — including the North Tuncurry housing project — and will be important in steering future land claims and the allocation of resources that feed back into community programs and member services.
Cr Peter Smith, the Mid North Coast Councillor elected in the 2024 NSW ALC elections, is the direct representative for the Mid North Coast region and a key link between Forster LALC and the state council.
Dan Rose, CEO of the Forster Local Aboriginal Land Council, has previously described the Forster land dealings (including the Nabiac land transfer and the landmark agreement with MidCoast Water) as providing an opportunity to invest in social and economic development and strengthen the land council’s financial security. The draft cited an NSWALC newsroom item about the Forster–MidCoast Water agreement; however, that NSWALC material documents the historic agreement and reporting from 2015–2016. If the story intends to refer to a new or additional agreement in late 2025, a primary source must be provided; otherwise the draft should reference the 2015/2016 land transfer and cultural‑access arrangement documented by NSWALC and local reporting.
The new NSWALC leadership will be expected to build on past land and water agreements so that local land and water can continue to be accessible for cultural activities by the community, and to ensure financial returns are reinvested into social programs and infrastructure for Forster LALC members.
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