About the Minister

I was born in London in 1956 and spent my early years between Malaysia and Malawi in Africa and England, later being educated in England and Australia.

From 1985, when I moved to the Northern Territory, I worked in mining and established a professional fishing business as well as being involved in the maritime salvage, security and engineering industries.  Six years were spent living off the coast of Arnhem Land where I developed strong relationships with many individuals in the area and forged a keen understanding of issues facing Australia’s first peoples, particularly those in remote Australia.

It is an honour and a privilege to be the first Minister responsible for Indigenous Affairs in a stand-alone portfolio.  This reflects the Government’s strong focus on Indigenous Affairs and determination to improve the circumstances of our first peoples.

I’m proud to serve as a Minister in the Federal Government.

The hopes and dreams of First Australians reflect those of all Australians; a positive future for the next and subsequent generations.

My priorities as Minister are to ensure that Indigenous children attend school every day and receive a quality education; that adults have real jobs driven by sustainable economic development; and that the rule of law applies in remote communities as it does across the rest of Australia, to ensure communities are safe for all residents, particularly children.