Malarndirri McCarthy

Malarndirri McCarthy (born 1970) is an Australian politician and has represented Arnhem in the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly since 2005.

McCarthy is a Yanyuwa woman from Borroloola in the Northern Territory. Born in Katherine in 1970, Malarndirri attended school in Borroloola, Alice Springs and St Scholastica's College in Glebe, Sydney, where she was School Captain in 1988. She and partner Norm Grogan have two sons, CJ and Grayson.

McCarthy is a former ABC newsreader and journalist who began her cadetship in 1989.^[1]

Political life

McCarthy, then known as Barbara McCarthy, became the Member for Arnhem in 2005 when she was preselected as a high profile candidate to replace the retiring member John Ah Kit.

Considered by many political pundits as a star recruit for Chief Minister Clare Martin and the Australian Labor Party, she also proved to be a very hard worker and was rewarded by receiving 73.9% of the 2PP vote, a 12.5% increase on the outgoing incumbent, Ah Kit.^[2]

With the election result McCarthy also became one of 10 women in the 25 seat assembly considered at the time to be in the top 10 in the world in male to female ratio in a parliament.^[3]

McCarthy was also as one of five successful indigenous candidates elected, properly reflecting the population ratio of indigenous people in the Territory.

Her first term was highlighted by McCarthy crossing the floor, with two other ALP members, to vote against the government's decision to divert the McArthur River to allow more mining developments.^[4]

McCarthy was re-elected unopposed in the 2008 election, with the CLP opposition unable to find anyone to run against her.

Immediately following the election McCarthy was promoted to the Ministry and is currently the Minister for Children and Families, Child Protection, Statehood, Women's Policy, Senior Territorians, Young Territorians and is the Minister Assisting the Chief Minister on Multicultural Affairs.^[5]

References

1. ^ http://www.nt.alp.org.au/people/nt/mccarthy_malarndirri.php
2. ^ http://www.abc.net.au/elections/nt/2005/results/arnh.htm
3. ^ S. Hinde, ‘Women hit top 10’, Northern Territory News, 22 June 2005, p. 5.
4. ^ http://bulletin.syd.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=326792&print=true
5. ^ http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/2008/08/18/5302_ntnews.html

Northern Territory Legislative Assembly
Preceded by John Ah Kit	Member for Arnhem 2005–present	Incumbent

Persondata
Name	Maccarthy, Malarndirri
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1970
Place of birth
Date of death
Place of death