After a crushing defeat, Territory Labor has appointed the first Aboriginal woman to lead a major party in the nation’s history.
Member for Arnhem, Nunggubuyu woman, Selena Uibo has taken up the top job alongside an almost entirely Aboriginal caucus.
Labor has also appointed Member for Daly, Yaegl man, Dheran Young as the deputy opposition leader, who first snatched a seat in parliament during the 2021 Daly by-election.
“I’m very proud…the territory is one third Aboriginal population…that make up the width and the breadth of the Territory,” Ms Uibo said.
“You know, being the first is an honour and a privilege, and it's quite exciting, not without being naive to the huge challenge that is ahead.”
The two will lead up to three others in opposition, including former Attorney General and deputy leader Chansey Paech and likely former Chief Minister Natasha Fyles whose seat will undergo a recount on Wednesday.
Ms Uibo was first elected in 2016 under the former chief minister Micheal Gunner and hails from the bush electorate that takes in remote sections of the Territory north and west of Katherine.
The party will now undergo a crucial post-mortem of its election campaign in conjunction with Federal Labor, who will need to understand the pressure points before their own election.
"We always knew that trying to go for a third term of government was going to be difficult. It's not just difficult in Australia. It's difficult the world over," Ms Uibo said.
As the former housing minister, Ms Uibo is conscious of the work federal politics play in the Northern Territory, signing the $4 billion NT Remote Housing partnership deal and working across several mining and renewables portfolios in the past four years.
However she said she hoped the federal government would give the "territory more voice".
Traditionally Labor has held the seats in northern Darwin, however this election all but one seat will be from remote and regional parts of the NT.
Newly-elected chief minister Lia Finocchiaro is expected to fly to Canberra tomorrow to meet with the federal government in her first formal delegation.
