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One of Australia’s largest Indigenous legal services organisations has appointed a new CEO, following recent findings that it had “unlawfully dismissed” its former long-serving chief executive.
The North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA) has appointed Ben Grimes as its new CEO, with his tenure commencing on 1 September.
Grimes previously served as CEO of the Aboriginal Resource and Development Services (ARDS) Aboriginal Corporation from 2020.
He has also held senior roles as a manager at the Aboriginal Interpreter Service, a law lecturer at Charles Darwin University, and worked earlier in his career as a criminal lawyer at NAAJA.
Theresa Roe, chairperson of NAAJA, stated that the appointment followed a rigorous recruitment process and that the board looks forward to working with Grimes in his role as CEO.
“Ben’s appointment follows an extensive and competitive national recruitment process,” Roe said.
“The directors are looking forward to working with Ben to expand the delivery of justice, legal services, and advocacy that empower our people and communities.”
In the same statement, the Indigenous legal service thanked acting CEO Anthony Beven for his leadership over the past nine months, during what it described as a “period of significant structural and operational change”.
NAAJA’s appointment of a new CEO follows a turbulent period for the organisation after the Federal Court found that the dismissal of former CEO Priscilla Atkins, based on unfounded fraud allegations, was “legally ineffective.”
Atkins, who led the organisation from 2007, alleged that her termination was a result of raising concerns with the board about alleged bullying and misconduct by NAAJA’s chief financial officer, Madhur Evans.
Justice Natalie Charlesworth ruled that NAAJA had breached the Fair Work Act by taking adverse action against Atkins on six separate occasions, concluding the agency had failed to show its actions were not motivated by her exercising – or threatening to exercise – her workplace rights.
Following the Federal Court’s ruling, NAAJA issued a statement in which Roe said that both the organisation and Atkins are “pleased to have resolved this matter”, allowing both parties to “move forward”.
In addition to Grimes’ appointment, NAAJA has also named Matthew Connop as deputy chief executive officer and Anna Gill as principal legal officer.
