User:CraigLHodges/sandbox

Gary Oliver
Gary Oliver is an Australian Aboriginal leader of Kuku Yalangi descent and was born in Yarrabah in Queensland Australia.



Advocacy
In June 2018 Gary publicly advocated for an Indigenous Voice in the Australian Parliament.

In April 2018 Gary represented the National Congress of Australia's First Peoples and presented the organisation's position on a number of key issues to The Joint Select Committee on Constitutional Recognition relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. (N.B. This meeting was a private briefing. Sections of the Committee Hansard were subsequently published with the permission of witnesses.)

Current Roles
Gary is the CEO of the National Congress of Australia's First Peoples. He has held this role since April 2017.

Gary is also the Managing Director of the Brisbane-based Synergy Nation Group (SNG); a position he has held since March 2014.

Gary is a board member of Save the Children Australia; a position he has held since May 2013.

Previous Roles
CEO of Aboriginal Legal Service NSW/ACT (Sept 2015 to Feb 2017)

Throughout his working career Gary has held professional appointments at Executive and Senior Management levels in NSW government agencies including the NSW Department of Families and Community Services and Aboriginal Affairs NSW. In Queensland, he has contributed to the Department of Housing and Public Works, and Liquor Licensing.

Gary has worked in-house and as a consultant to non-government bodies including the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (NACCHO), Aboriginal Land Councils, Murdi Paaki in western NSW and the Aboriginal Medical Service in Ipswich.

Gary was a Board Member of Save the Children Australia; Chair of Two Ways Together Regional Engagement Groups in Northern NSW and the Hunter Region; a Member of the Koori Advisory Committee; an ambassador for Grandmothers against Removal; an Executive Member of the Department of Premier and Cabinet, and the NSW Regional Co-ordination Management Group North Coast.

In 2002 Gary was the recipient of the Queensland Premier’s Award for Leadership in the Mount Isa alcohol and violence reduction initiatives. In 2006 Gary won the NSW Premier’s Gold Award for being a team member in the Aboriginal Community Development Program. Gary is also a proud recipient of the Australian Army's Defense Medal, and an advocate for Aboriginal people, families and communities.