Bess Nungarrayi Price is an Australian indigenous activist and chair of the Northern Territory Indigenous Affairs Advisory Council.
Born in Yuendumu, her first language is Warlpiri. She also knows Luritja, Western Arrernte and Anmatyerre. She holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Aboriginal Community Management and Development from Curtin University and has worked in education and training, public administration, the media, community development, interpreting, translating and language teaching and has experience in small business management. With her husband Dave Price, she is a partner with Jajirdi Consultants working in cross cultural awareness training, community liaison and Warlpiri language services.[1] She lives in Alice Springs.
Price has strongly criticised the high levels of violence in Central Australian indigenous communities and supported the Northern Territory Intervention.[2] In December 2009 she delivered the Bennelong Society's inaugural Peter Howson lecture, also on the topic of indigenous violence, and received the Bennelong Medal[3]
She spoke at the Centre for Independent Studies, Sydney, on Mar 23 2011[4] and appeared on Q&A on 11 Apr 2011.[5] As a result of an offensive tweet by legal academic Larissa Behrendt in reaction to the Q&A program, Bess appeared on the front page of The Australian on 14 Apr 2011.[6]. Behrendt apologised for the slur.
In November 2011 she was selected by the Country Liberal Party to run for the seat of Stuart in the Northern Territory Parliament.[7]