A new CEO has been appointed for the National Indigenous Australians Agency. 

Yindjibarndi woman, public servant and artist Jody Broun has been selected for the role, making her the most senior Indigenous person currently serving in the Australian Public Service.

“I'm thinking of people like Lowitja O'Donohue, the first Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission chairperson, and Sonja Stewart, the first Aboriginal CEO of the NSW Law Society,” Ms Broun said this week. 

“And I think we all do this because we are committed to our mob and to better outcomes.

“I am committed to hearing from our communities about how we can all do better working in genuine partnership, and ensuring that they are heard by progressing the work on the Local and Regional Voice.”

Ms Broun has previously served for more than four years as NSW/ACT director at Australian Red Cross, and was part of the foundation staff of Clontarf Aboriginal College.

She replaces Ray Griggs - the inaugural NIAA chief executive before becoming Social Services Department secretary last year. 

The National Indigenous Australians Agency was formed in 2019, and is working to carry out plans to create a long-awaited national voice empowered to advise federal parliament. As part of this, up to 35 Indigenous advisory bodies will be established Australia-wide.