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SA First Nations Voice to Parliament leader faces court on domestic violence charges

SA First Nations Voice to Parliament leader faces court on domestic violence charges

One of the two presiding members of the South Australian First Nations Voice to Parliament is facing two domestic violence aggravated assault charges.
Danielle Faith Smith, 40, appeared briefly in the Mount Gambier Magistrates Court on Thursday morning, with a date was set for a pre-trial conference in September.
"The matters are being contested," Ms Smith said outside court after the hearing.
Court documents show Ms Smith, who goes by the name Danni Smith, is accused of two assaults police allege occurred on March 22.
"It is further alleged that the circumstances of aggravation are that you committed the offence knowing that the victim of the offence was a person you were in, or were formerly in, a relationship with," the documents state.
The alleged victim's name was redacted in the charge sheet seen by the ABC.
Ms Smith is also accused of breaching a bail agreement.
Police laid the charges on April 26.
Ms Smith represents the Riverland and South East regions on the Local Voice to Parliament and was elected as its joint presiding member, with Leeroy Bilney, in November last year, after the resignation of the previous female joint leader.
Asked if she would stay on the Voice to Parliament, Ms Smith said: "This has got nothing to do with the Voice."
Ms Smith is an Eastern Arrernte, Gurindji, Kaurna, Narungga Nukunu and Ngarrindjeri woman who lives in Mount Gambier.
She received the most votes in Riverland and South East at the first Voice to Parliament election in March.
The First Nations Voice Act 2023 states that the office of a member of the Voice becomes vacant if the member is found guilty of a serious offence or serves a jail term.
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