Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As members would be aware, and members of the public would be aware too, there is a new Chief Minister in the Northern Territory, a new Chief Minister for the Liberal Party there. I think it is appropriate for this House to note that this means that, for the first time ever, an Indigenous person will be serving as a head of government in an Australian state or territory, that person being Mr Adam Giles. Whatever the circumstances, this is a moment in history for Indigenous Australians and it is appropriate that we mark it in this chamber.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I welcome the observations of the Prime Minister. This is an important occasion for our country and it should be marked in this way in this parliament. I have to admit that it has been a tumultuous few weeks in Northern Territory politics and I do feel for the former Chief Minister, Terry Mills, who did lead the Country Liberal Party to victory last year. Still, in a very important sense, yesterday was a very auspicious day for our nation and an auspicious day, if I may say so, for the conservative side of politics. It was, after all, the coalition that gave this national parliament its first Indigenous member in Senator Neville Bonner; it was the coalition who gave this House of Representatives its first Indigenous member in our friend and colleague the member for Hasluck; and now the coalition has given Australia its first Indigenous head of government in Adam Giles, the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory.

I know Adam Giles quite well. He was in fact a senior officer in the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations which I once administered as the relevant minister. He is a highly capable man, and I am confident that he will be a fine Chief Minister. So, on behalf of the coalition and, I am sure, all members of this place, I wish him well in the discharge of his heavy responsibilities.