Minister for Tourism

Malarndirri McCarthy is a Yanyuwa woman from Borroloola in the Northern Territory and was first elected to the Northern Territory Parliament in 2005.

Malarndirri was born in Katherine and grew up in Borroloola and Alice Springs, before going to Sydney to further her education at St Scholasitca's in Glebe, where she was elected School Captain in 1988.

In 1989 Malarndirri joined the ABC under the Aboriginal Journalist Cadet program and worked in news and current affairs for 16 years in Sydney, Canberra, Darwin and Alice Springs.  Malarndirri worked on the award winning documentaries – ‘Stolen Children’ and ‘A Dying Shame’.

Malarndirri also co-established, with her husband Norm Grogan, the Borroloola Radio Station 102.9 FM ‘The Voice of the Gulf’, the Lijakarda Arts Culture and Media Training Centre and two festivals.

Over the years Malarndirri has participated on the Australia Arts Council’s ‘Community Development Fund’, contributed on behalf of Indigenous women on the Federal Government’s Office of Women committees, is a member of Women's Network NT and is patron for SIDS & KIDS NT.

Malarndirri was appointed Minister in the NT Government in August 2008, and currently holds the portfolios of Tourism, Local Government, Regional Development, Indigenous Development, Women’s Policy and Statehood.