Dr Phil Duncan
Phil is a member of the Gomeroi Nation and an elected representative of the Gomeroi Nation Native Title Claimant Group. He is the MDBA Basin Community Committee Chair, and CEO at the EPIC CRC. Throughout his career and volunteer community work, Phil has worked extensively with Indigenous people and government to improve the lives of First Nations people. He provides high-level policy, strategic advice, and leadership to key Indigenous representative organisations, universities, and state and federal government agencies.
Professor Leslie (Phil) Duncan is from Moree New South Wales and is a member of the Gomeroi Nation and his homelands are Moree and Terry Hie Hie. Phil has over 40 years’ experience working with Aboriginal people and government to improve the lives of Aboriginal people through recognition of our rich cultural history, the return of our lands, the improvement of our living conditions and education of our next generation through both his employment and active volunteer community work. Phil provides high level policy and strategic advice and leadership to key Indigenous representative organisations, universities, state and federal government agencies as well as key external stakeholder groups. His strategic advice, leadership and engagement is around issues of culture and heritage significance, community engagement in on-ground projects, as well as the design, delivery and implementation of programs in partnership with government. Phil has made significant contributions in education and organisational reconciliation action through natural resource management, freshwater river management, forestry, native fish, water rights and allocations.
Phil is extremely passionate about promoting greater partnerships and collaborations using two way knowledge exchanges and enhancing the voices of Traditional Owners in land and water management via the integration of cultural science into the Western scientific frameworks and models.
Industry affiliations:
University of Canberra, Galambany Professorial Fellow, Centre of Applied Water Science
Griffith University – Award of Doctor of the University
Acting CEO Economic Participation Indigenous Communities
Murray Darling Basin Authority – Basin Community Committee – First Indigenous Chair
NSW Natural Resource Access Regulator - Board Member – First Indigenous Board Member
Australian Freshwater Science Society – Nation Indigenous Executive