Ngaree Ah Kit Explained

Honorific-Prefix:The Honourable
Ngaree Ah Kit
Honorific-Suffix:MLA
Office:Minister for Corporate and Digital Development, International Education, Disabilities and Multicultural Affairs
Term Start:23 May 2022
Office1:13th Speaker of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly
Deputy1:Mark Turner (2020–21)
Joel Bowden (2021–2022)
Term Start1:20 August 2020
Term End1:23 May 2022
Predecessor1:Chansey Paech
Successor1:Mark Monaghan
Constituency Am2:Karama
Assembly2:Northern Territory Legislative
Term Start2:27 August 2016
Predecessor2:Delia Lawrie
Birth Date:1981 6, df=yes
Birth Place:Katherine, Northern Territory, Australia
Birthname:Ngaree Jane Ah Kit
Nationality:Australian
Party:Labor
Father:Jack Ah Kit
Occupation:Public servant

Ngaree Jane Ah Kit (born 4 June 1981; in Australian languages pronounced as /ŋaːrɪː/) is an Australian politician, who was elected to the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly at the 2016 general election, representing the electoral division of Karama, Darwin, for the Labor Party.

Early life and background

Ah Kit was born in Katherine, Northern Territory, and was raised in both Katherine and Darwin.[1] She is of Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Chinese descent, and is the daughter of Jack Ah Kit, the former Labor member for Arnhem, who was the first indigenous minister in the Northern Territory from 1995 to 2005.[2] Following her brother's death in 2007, Ah Kit became a suicide prevention advocate, forming a survivors' group in 2007 and the Darwin Region Indigenous Suicide Prevention Network in 2010, and working for the Northern Territory Department of Health.

She was a territory finalist for the Young Australian of the Year awards in 2009 for her work organising NAIDOC Week in the Top End,[3] and a finalist for Australia's Local Hero in 2016 for her suicide prevention work.[4]

Ah Kit well known in the Northern Territory as a fierce and passionate advocate for First Nations community members, Disability and Multicultural Affairs has placed her well for her portfolios. Ah Kit has also been involved in a number of community-controlled organisations serving as board director and spokesperson.

Political

Ah Kit was sworn in as minister under the Fyles ministry in May 2022 following the resignation of then Chief Minister Michael Gunner.

Ah Kit holds the portfolios of Minister for Corporate and Digital Development; Minister for Disabilities; Minister for International Education; Minister for Multicultural Affairs.

She was previously the 13th Speaker of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly making her the first Aboriginal women to be speaker of an Australian parliament after being elected on 20 October 2020 following the resignation of Chansey Paech.[5] Before that, she was Assistant Minister for Suicide Prevention, Mental Health, Disability, Youth and Seniors.[6]

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Notes and References

  1. Web site: Australian Broadcasting Corporation. My Territory Childhood – Ngaree Ah Kit. 14 June 2017. 7 June 2021.
  2. News: Former Opposition Leader Delia Lawrie has been dumped by the ALP. 1 September 2016. NT News. 3 October 2015.
  3. Web site: Ngaree Ah Kit: Young Indigenous Leader. https://web.archive.org/web/20220209121927/https://www.australianoftheyear.org.au/recipients/ngaree-ah-kit/405/. dead. 9 February 2022. State Finalist Young Australian of the Year 2009. 9 February 2022.
  4. Web site: Ngaree Ah Kit: Suicide prevention crusader. https://web.archive.org/web/20220209121928/https://www.australianoftheyear.org.au/recipients/ngaree-ah-kit/1343/. dead. 9 February 2022. Australia's Local Hero 2016. 9 February 2022.
  5. Web site: Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory 20 – 22 October 2020 Meetings . 18 February 2021 . Northern Territory Parliament.
  6. Web site: Ngaree Ah Kit . 2018-09-18 . The Wheeler Centre.