Malarndirri McCarthy

Malarndirri Barbara Anne McCarthy (born 1970) is an Indigenous Australian politician and former journalist who has been a Senator for the Northern Territory since 2016. She is the Minister for Indigenous Australians in the Albanese Government since 29 July 2024. She previously served in the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly.

After working for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation as a reporter and newsreader for 16 years, in 2005, McCarthy was elected to the NT Legislative Assembly for the division of Arnhem. She was re-elected unopposed in 2008, and was subsequently appointed to the ministry by Paul Henderson. She held a number of portfolios over the following four years, but lost her seat in Labor's landslide defeat at the 2012 election. McCarthy subsequently returned to the media as a presenter for NITV and SBS News. She re-entered politics as Labor's lead Senate candidate in the Northern Territory at the 2016 federal election. She was appointed Minister for Indigenous Australians in July 2024 after Linda Burney announced her retirement from parliament.

Early life and education Barbara Anne McCarthy was born in 1970 in Katherine, Northern Territory, Being of Catholic faith, his daughter was baptised in the Catholic church. McCarthy was raised mainly by her father, but was always encouraged to stay connected to her Aboriginal culture; she later said she was brought up on two-way learning, although it was not so named at the time. As a result of her election, McCarthy became one of ten 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.

McCarthy was one of five Indigenous candidates elected, properly reflecting the population ratio of Indigenous people in the Territory. Her first term was highlighted by 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 on spiritual, cultural, and environmental grounds in her Country, of Borroloola.

She was re-elected unopposed in the 2008 election. Immediately following her re-election, McCarthy was promoted to the ministry and, from August 2008 to November 2009, was the Minister for Children and Families, Child Protection, Statehood, Women's Policy, Senior Territorians, Young Territorians, and the Minister Assisting the Chief Minister on Multicultural Affairs. She called for a public inquiry into the NT's child protection system,

In 2013, McCarthy wrote a story on Mercedes-Benz, which filmed its advertisement at Wave Rock in Western Australia, a place of deep cultural significance to Aboriginal custodians. The general manager of Mercedes-Benz flew to Wave Rock to personally apologise to the traditional custodians.

McCarthy was a journalist and presenter at NITV and SBS News. She headed a team of journalists as executive producer of NITV National News, until the program was cut in 2015. She was presenting NITV News Week in Review later that year.

Federal politics Following the resignation of Nova Peris, McCarthy was invited by Labor to nominate as a candidate for the Senate at the 2016 federal election, representing the Northern Territory, including Christmas and Cocos (Keeling) Islands. McCarthy went on to win a Senate seat at the 2 July 2016 federal election, bringing a much higher primary vote and a swing of nearly 7 points to the Australian Labor Party.

McCarthy was the first federal politician to list ownership of traditional Indigenous lands as part of her declaration of interests. She has been vocal on issues such as domestic violence and alcohol abuse in the NT, and has fought for better representation in the Senate for all territories. She was unable to attend the first swearing-in ceremony of the Albanese ministry owing to having COVID-19, but was sworn in separately on 16 June 2022. She has maintained a focus on Indigenous health, including the high incidence of kidney disease among Aboriginal Australians, especially in the NT.

McCarthy has been very active in parliamentary committees, including: Joint Select: Constitutional Recognition Relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Joint Standing: National Disability Insurance Scheme, National Capital and External Territories, Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Joint Statutory: Law Enforcement Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Finance and Public Administration, Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport (Legislation), Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport (References), Community Affairs (Legislation), Community Affairs (References), Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport (Legislation), Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport (References), Environment and Communications (References) Senate Select: Stillbirth Research and Education, Chair of the Stillbirth Research and Education, Effectiveness of the Australian Government's Northern Australia Agenda, Chair of the Aboriginal Flag

Minister for Indigenous Australians In the July 2024 reshuffle, she was appointed Minister for Indigenous Australians and elevated to cabinet. This is the first time that both the positions of minister and shadow minister for Indigenous Australians, which is held by Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, are both held by Aboriginal women from the Northern Territory.

She attended the Garma Festival in Arnhem Land with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese within a week of being sworn in as minister, and while there also gave her first television interview since her appointment.

Other activities During her time working as a journalist for SBS and NITV, McCarthy also worked part-time at her sons' school Saint Ignatius' College at Riverview, New South Wales, assisting in developing the First Nations Unit program and teaching a cross-cultural program at the Catholic school, including teaching year 7 students about Indigenous landcare. She would also take boys to stay in the NT, which she described as a "deeply spiritual experience for [her]".

In 2018, McCarthy was invited to give the Kerferd Oration, which is held in Beechworth, Victoria each year since 2003.

She gave the Venerable Mary Aikenhead Oration 2024

She has participated in the Community Development Fund run by the Arts Council, and was a patron for SIDS & Kids NT for 12 years. She has also been a member of Emily's List and Women's Network NT.

Awards and nominations during her career as a journalist include: 2013: Winner, inaugural journalism award for Story of the Year at the Deadly Awards

Personal life McCarthy raised three sons as a single mother. One of them CJ,

She has also spoken of her kinship responsibilities towards four young women: the two daughters of her "cousin–sister", and twin daughters of her "cousin-brother". She and her husband also act as parents to these children.

In the remote area in Northern Territory where she grew up, she is known simply as "Mal" or "Barb" or "yapa".

Footnotes