First Nations Advisors

(Erub/Epi)

Cr Dominic WY Kanak has been Greens Councillor for Bondi Ward since 1999 and has held the positions of Deputy Mayor from 2007-2008 and 2017-2019.  

He was born on Yuwibara Country, Mackay, Queensland. I’m Torres Strait (Erub) and South Sea Islander (Epi). I’m a proud TI grandfather of a Murri-Yorta-Yorta Family.

Dominic is Chair of the East Region Local Government First Nations Forum and is the President of the NSW Local Government Aboriginal Network.    With over 22 years in politics, Dominic is one of the longest serving Indigenous Councillors in the country.

(Australian South Sea Islander, First Nations, Caribbean)

Ms. (Waskam) Emelda Davis MA is a passionate resident of Pyrmont with strong links to the local community, as well as a strong advocate for cultural diversity and greater inclusion for her Indigenous, Pacific, and Australian South Sea Islander communities. 

Emelda Davis is proud of her diverse indigenous ancestry as as second-generation Australian South Sea Islander of First Nations and Caribbean descent. Emelda has worked for federal, state, community and grassroots organisations where she has exhibited diverse expertise in community development, education, training, media, and marketing. 

(Thunghutti/Bundjalung)

Warren is a proud Thunghutti and Bundjalung man who has extensive experience working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities having worked for NGO's and universities, as well as local, state and federal government.  In his early career, Warren was Research Officer for NSW Upper House President in the Parliament of NSW. 

In 2012, Warren launched Deadly Politics which is an online political advocacy platform for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. 

(Boigu, Torres Strait Islands)

Masepah Banu (Mas) is a Boigu Islander from the Torres Strait Islands who acknowledges his Aboriginal heritage from Taepithiggi, the community of Mapoon in western part of Cape York Peninsula.  He has extensive experience in governance as Project Officer at the Office of Registrar of Indigenous Corporations, Chairperson for the ACT Torres Strait Islander Corporation, Member to the ACT Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elected Body and Delegate to the National Congress of Australia's First Peoples.  Currently, Mas is an Engagement Officer to the Australian Electoral Commission where his role is to educate First Nations people on enrolling to vote and engaging in opportunities to work at polling centres in upcoming elections. 

(Dunghutti/Gamilaroi) 

Marie Barbaric is a proud Dunghutti and Gamilaroi woman and CEO of Koori Kulcha Experience, which provides catering, cross-cultural training, team building workshops and tourism. She is a Director of Illawarra Wingecarribee Aboriginal Alliance; a Director of Hume Coal Charity; and lead negotiator for OCHRE , the community focused plan of the NSW Government.   

 Marie is also Director of Women's Business and has completed political candidate training with Women for Election Australia and Pathways to Politics Program for Women at UNSW Sydney.