New Northern Territory Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister

Paul Henderson is the new Chief Minister of the Northern Territory. His new deputy is Marion Scrymgour.

Mr Henderson has been the Member for Wanguri since a 1999 bi-election, and a senior cabinet minister since Labor took office in the Northern Territory in 2001.

He holds the ministry portfolios of Employment, Education and Training, Tourism, Public Employment and Multicultural Affairs.

Marion Scrymgour is the Member for Arafura. She holds the ministry portfolios of Family and Community Services, Child Protection, Arts and Museums, Women’s Policy, Senior Territorians and Young Territorians. Ms Srymgour was the first Indigenous women to become a cabinet minister in any government in Australia.

These appointments follow the resignation of former Northern Territory Chief Minister, Clare Martin, and her Deputy, Syd Stirling.

Clare Martin held the positions of Northern Territory’s Chief Minister, Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Services, Minister for Asian Relations and Trade, Minister for the AustralAsia Railway, Minister for Indigenous Policy and Minister for Major Projects.

Syd Stirling was the Northern Territory’s Deputy Chief Minister, Treasurer, Minister for Justice and Attorney-General and Minister for Statehood.

Ms Martin has been Member for Fannie Bay, in central Darwin, since a 1995 by-election. Mr Stirling has been Member for Nhulunbuy since 1990. Both are to continue as local members until the next Northern Territory election in 2009.

Ms Martin was elected Northern Territory Labor leader in February 1999. In 2001, Ms Martin led Labor to election victory. This was a historic win for Labor, being the first time Labor held power in the Northern Territory. The Country Liberal Party (CLP) had previously held power for 27 years.