2026 South Australian First Nations Voice election
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21 March 2026
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The 2026 South Australian First Nations Voice election will be held on 21 March 2026 to elect the First Nations Voice to Parliament, an advisory body for Indigenous Australians to the Parliament of South Australia. The election will be held on the same day as the South Australian state election.[1][2]
Constituencies and process
There are six electoral constituencies, and unlike state and federal elections, voting is not compulsory. Around 14,000 Aboriginal people live in Adelaide, and between 3,000 and 4,000 in each of five regional constituencies. There are 11 representatives for the central Adelaide Voice, and seven for each regional Voice, making a total of 46.[3]
Candidates
Incumbents seeking re-election are bolded.
Kumangka Warrarna Wangkanthi (Central) candidates
| Party | Candidate | Background | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | Clinton Bennell | Noongar and Wiradjuri man.[4] | |
| Independent | Melissa Clarke | ||
| Independent | Adam-Troy Francis | ||
| Independent | Kahlia Gibson | Kokatha and Barkandji woman. Current member of the State Aboriginal Heritage Committee.[5] | |
| Independent | Matthew Karpany-Carter | Ngarrindjeri man. | |
| Independent | Matthew Rankine | Ngarrindjeri, Kokatha, and Narungga man. | |
| Independent | Michael (Mike) Gilby | ||
| Independent | Jarrod Akselsen | Youth worker.[6] | |
| Independent | Timothy Ritchie | ||
| Independent Greens | Moogy Sumner | Ngarrindjeri and Kaurna man. Unendorsed Greens member. | |
| Independent | Jennifer Caruso | ||
| Independent | Marnie O'Meara | Elected at 2025 supplementary election. | |
| Independent | Ashum Owen | Kaurna, Ngarrindjeri, and Narungga woman. | |
| Independent | Deb Moyle | Ngarrindjeri woman. | |
Far North candidates
| Party | Candidate | Background | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | Angela Watson | ||
| Independent | Jonathan Lyons | ||
| Independent | Alan M Wilson | ||
| Independent | Christopher Dodd | ||
| Independent | Mark Campbell | Pitjantjatjara man. Member of the State Voice.[7] | |
| Independent | Melissa Thompson | Pitjantjatjara woman. Member of the State Voice.[7] | |
| Independent | Dharma Ducasse-Singer | Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara woman. | |
| Independent | Renita Roberts | Basket weaver.[8] | |
| Independent | Dawn Brown | ||
| Independent | Anna Strzelecki | Indigenous Student Support Officer.[9] | |
| Independent | Russel Bryant | ||
Flinders and Upper North candidates
| Party | Candidate | Background | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | TJ Thomas | Kokatha Yankunytjatjara man. Safety and wellbeing officer.[10][11] | |
| Independent | Charmaine Hull | ||
| Independent | Jacinda Amos | ||
| Independent | Noeleen Lester | ||
| Independent | Ralph Coulthard | Adnyamathanha and Yankunytjatjara man. Financial counsellor and member of the Stolen Generations Committee.[11] | |
| Independent | Andrew Starkey | ||
| Independent | Charlotte Coulthard-Dare | ||
| Independent | Jacinta McKenzie | ||
| Independent | Rob Singleton | Member of the State Voice.[11] | |
| Independent | Shania Richards | ||
| Independent | Elaine Kite | ||
Murraylands, Riverland and South East candidates
| Party | Candidate | Background | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | Lisa Rigney | Ngarrindjeri, Talkindjeri, Ramindjeri, Kaurna, and Boandik woman.[12] | |
| Independent | Thomas Lovett | ||
| Independent | Stephanie Russel | ||
| Independent | Danni Smith | Eastern Arrernte, Guringdji, Kaurna, Narungga Nukunu and Ngarrindjeri woman. Member of the State Voice.[12] | |
| Independent | Rob Wright | Ngarrindjeri man. Member of the State Voice.[12] | |
| Independent | Timothy Hartman | Ngarrindjeri man. Director of the Ngarrindjeri Aboriginal Corporation.[12] | |
| Independent | Dan Mitchell-Mathews | Narungga Kaurna man.[12] | |
| Independent | Jazmin Bingham | Gomeroi woman. First Nations, youth, and climate activist.[13] | |
| Independent | Sarah Booth | Wombaya Warumungu woman.[14] | |
| Independent | Alanna Lawson | ||
| Independent | Sheryl Giles | Ngangruku and Ngintait woman.[12] | |
| Independent | Malcolm Aston. | Ngarrindjeri man.[15] | |
West and West Coast candidates
| Party | Candidate | Background | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | Jack Johncock | Wirangu man. Former councillor on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission.[16][17] | |
| Independent | Patrick Sharpe | Kokatha person.[18] | |
| Independent | Keenan Smith | Wirangu, Mirning and Kokatha person. Chairperson of the Wirangu Aboriginal Corporation.[16] | |
| Independent | Leeroy Binley | Marlinyu Ghoorlie, Wirangu, Kokatha, Mirning, Noongar and Barngala person. Member of the State Voice.[16] | |
| Independent | Warren Patrick Rajack Clements | ||
| Candidates elected unopposed | |||
| Independent | Lorraine Haseldine | Member of the State Voice.[16] | |
| Independent | Rebecca Miller | ||
| Independent | Evelyn Walker (Richards/Agius) | ||
Yorke and Mid North candidates
| Party | Candidate | Background | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | Rex Angie | ||
| Independent | Michael Wanganeen | ||
| Independent | Edward D Newchurch | Narungga man. SA Aboriginal Lands Trust board member and the Point Pearce Aboriginal Council chairperson.[16] | |
| Independent | Doug Milera | Narungga man. Narungga Nation Aboriginal Corporation CEO.[16] | |
| Independent | Quentin Agius | Descendant of the Adjahdura (Narungga) and Nadjuri people. Member of the State Voice. | |
| Candidates elected unopposed | |||
| Independent | Billie-Jane Braund | ||
| Independent | Joy Makepeace | Kamilaroi Murrawarri woman and member of the Stolen Generations. | |
| Independent | Kellie Sansbury | ||
References
- ^ "Key dates". 2024 South Australian First Nations Voice election.
- ^ "SA First Nations Voice election results show low turnout, but candidate urges 'give us a chance'". ABC News.
- ^ Richards, Stephanie (2 March 2024). "SA First Nations Voice to give Aboriginal people 'a seat at the table', commissioner says". ABC News (Australia). Retrieved 2 March 2024.
- ^ "Clinton Bennell". www.thejilyainstitute.com.au. The Westerman Jilya Institute. Archived from the original on 9 December 2025.
- ^ "State Aboriginal Heritage Committee". agd.sa.gov.au. Attorney General's Department. Archived from the original on 20 October 2025. Retrieved 28 February 2026.
- ^ "Jarrod Akselsen". linkedin.com. Retrieved 28 February 2026.
- ^ a b "Far North Local Voice Members". firstnationsvoice.sa.gov.au. South Australian First Nations Voice to Parliament. Archived from the original on 1 March 2026. Retrieved 1 March 2026.
- ^ "Renita Roberts". tjanpi.com.au. TJANPI. Archived from the original on 1 March 2026. Retrieved 1 March 2026.
- ^ "Meet the team". i.unisa.edu.au. University of South Australia. Archived from the original on 1 March 2026. Retrieved 1 March 2026.
- ^ Thorn, Esther (21 May 2024). "NEW KOKATHA SAFETY AND WELLBEING OFFICER". Kokatha - Business, Community Information, Our Stories. Retrieved 1 March 2026.
- ^ a b c "Flinders and Upper North". firstnationsvoice.sa.gov.au. South Australian First Nations Voice to Parliament. Archived from the original on 2 March 2026. Retrieved 2 March 2026.
- ^ a b c d e f "Murraylands, Riverland and South East". firstnationsvoice.sa.gov.au. South Australian First Nations Voice. Archived from the original on 5 November 2025. Retrieved 2 March 2026.
- ^ "Land rights and First Nations Justice - Jazmin's story". aycc.org.au. Australian Youth Climate Coalition. Retrieved 2 March 2026.
- ^ Dunn, Amelia (17 May 2021). "The Indigenous-led birthing program giving confidence to young mums like Sarah". SBS News. Archived from the original on 2 March 2026. Retrieved 2 March 2026.
- ^ "I've decided to put my hand up to stand for the South Australian Voice to Parliament". linkedin.com. Malcolm Aston. Retrieved 2 March 2026.
- ^ a b c d e f "West and West Coast". firstnationsvoice.sa.gov.au. South Australian First Nations Voice. Archived from the original on 30 October 2025. Retrieved 2 March 2026.
{{cite web}}:|archive-date=/|archive-url=timestamp mismatch; 2 March 2026 suggested (help) - ^ Allam, Lorena; Earl, Carly (7 March 2019). "'It's like a big dark cloud has lifted': the town dragged into reconciliation – photo essay". The Guardian Australia. Archived from the original on 10 July 2024. Retrieved 2 March 2026.
- ^ "Our community council". placeaustralia.org. Place Australia. Archived from the original on 2 January 2026. Retrieved 2 March 2026.