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NT deputy Scrymgour makes history

26 November 2007 - The Northern Territory's new deputy chief minister, Marion Scrymgour, is the highest-ranked indigenous person in government in Australia's history.

The promotion of the passionate Aboriginal advocate, after a political career marked by controversy, follows the resignations of Clare Martin as chief minister and Syd Stirling as deputy on Monday.

Ms Scrymgour, from the Tiwi Islands north of Darwin, is one of six Aboriginal ministers in the Northern Territory government.

She made history by becoming the first indigenous woman to be a minister in any government in Australia.

The mother of three has been a vocal opponent of the federal government's intervention in Northern Territory Aboriginal communities and was last month forced to back away from her criticisms.

Calling the reforms the "black kids' Tampa" and a "vicious new McCarthyism", the member for Arafura questioned their motivation and operation.

Her comments sparked divisions within Labor ranks over the intervention after it was given bipartisan support through federal parliament.

Labor leader Kevin Rudd said Ms Scrymgour was wrong and that he believed a new approach was needed for Aboriginal affairs, while then federal indigenous affairs minister Mal Brough called for her resignation.

Mr Stirling moved to quell talk of rifts in the territory government and confusion over where Labor stood on the matter, saying Ms Scrymgour was "a passionate advocate for her people" and was entitled to express her concerns.

It was not the first time Ms Scrymgour had made a vocal stance on issues close to her heart.

In May, she split with her party over a 99-year lease on a community on the Tiwi Islands.

She said that despite the fact traditional owners of the community had agreed to a head lease over their land, there were divisions within the wider community and questions about the proposal had gone unanswered.

Ms Scrymgour also opposed the controversial $110 million expansion of the McArthur River Mine (MRM), which involved the diversion of a river near the Gulf of Carpentaria.

The minister absented herself when a bill approving it passed through the NT parliament while three of her Aboriginal colleagues crossed the floor on the third reading.

Ms Martin's replacement, Paul Henderson, on Monday welcomed Ms Scrymgour as his deputy.

Asked if he was concerned about her breaking party ranks, he said he considered her to be a loyal party member.

"I have worked with Marion for many, many years and she is a person of enormous capacity and enormous integrity," he said.

Mr Henderson refused to say if his right faction had backed transport minister Delia Lawrie instead of Ms Scrymgour for deputy.

Ms Scrymgour was not available for comment on Monday.

Source: The Age

Further information: NT intervention issues page - includes news index and external links

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