Former Olympian Nova Peris to run for Labor in NT seat in the Federal Senate
Jessica Marszalek
Daily Telegraph
January 22, 201312:12PM
PRIME Minister Julia Gillard Gillard faces a fight to get former Olympian Nova Peris into the Senate, with current NT Senator Trish Crossin speaking out against the decision to replace her.
Ms Peris will stand for Labor at the upcoming election, with Julia Gillard declaring the party needs an indigenous representative in the Federal Parliament.
If successful Ms Peris will be the first Aboriginal woman to hold a seat in federal parliament.
The Prime Minister personally selected the Aboriginal athlete for preselection as a senate candidate in the NT in a decision that has upset Labor's serving senator, Trish Crossin.
Ms Gillard said she had engaged "in a captain's pick'' in endorsing the Olympic hockey gold medallist over Senator Crossin.
"There has never been an indigenous Australian who has served as a federal Labor representative,'' she said.
"I'm determined that at the 2013 election we change that.''
Asked about Senator Crossin's fate, Ms Gillard said she stood by the "tough decision''.
But Senator Crossin immediately hit out, declaring the decision had been taken without consultation or negotiation with the NT branch of the ALP "or my input as the long-serving federal Labor Senator for the NT''.
"It has been my long held belief that preselection should always be a matter for NT Labor branch members to decide,'' she said in a statement.
But Ms Gillard said it was a matter of national significance for the Labor Party to put forward an indigenous Australian in a winnable position at a federal election.
"I am not going to make it routine for me to intervene in party processes,'' Ms Gillard said.
"I am a big respecter of party processes, but I think there is a national significance here for our political party.''
No surprise Corssin supported Le Kewen aka, Kevin 07 Rudd in the Gillard led leadership spill. She is not happy at been dumped by Gillard, cant wait to see her described as a Misogynist Racist Red Neck Hill Billy by Madame Gillard and the Sista Hood
She said it was a similar situation to when the party had undertaken affirmative action to see more women elected to federal parliament."If you believe as I do fundamentally that merit is distributed equitably across the population, across genders, across races then if you are looking at an outcome where you can see lots of men or not many indigenous Australians, then people of merit are missing out,'' she said.
"This is a moment when our whole political party needs to look at it too so that we are joined by an indigenous Australian in our federal Labor caucus.''
Ms Peris thanked the prime minister for the "amazing opportunity" to stand for Labor pre-selection for a Northern Territory seat in the senate.
"I stand here before you all today not only as an Australian but also as a proud Aboriginal woman, proud of my heritage and culture," Ms Peris said.
I certainly understand the significance of this opportunity, and I am very honoured and humbled by this, prime minister."
She said she was first approached to stand for parliament about seven to eight years ago.
"My two young kids babies at the time ... I didn't think I was ready. To be put into a position where you have a voice for Aboriginal Australians I thought I had to do a lot of work," she said.
Ms Peris attributed the CLP victory at last year's NT poll to hard work by the CLP and Labor taking their eye off the mark.
But she said that was now unravelling for the CLP.
"As an Aboriginal woman I have seen and I've been around the ropes long and hard enough to know that Aboriginal people have been disappointed with government for a long time, hence the intervention," she said.
"I was in the midst of that and I saw firsthand that you can have policies but if you don't have the right people implementing it, it's never going to work."
Ms Peris said she was proud, honoured and humbled to be part of Labor.
"We are working very hard to win the next election and get the right people working," she said.
Ms Gillard said Ms Peris was a household name and many remembered her sporting triumphs, winning an olympic gold medal in hockey at the 1996 games.
"What they show is grit and determination to get things done and I am very admiring of that grit and determination," she said.
"I believe Nova will make a great contribution in the federal parliament for the Labor Party for the Northern Territory and for the nation, not just because of that grit and determination but because of the work she has done since her sporting career on building opportunities for young Australians."
Was Nova Really Surprised ?
Where to now...
After turning the big 40 and whilst working in the Kimberley last year, I reflected on my past achievements and experiences. It had dawned on me and it seemed just a natural thing to do, and that was to now spend the next decade of my life using it to give back, pass on the stories that enabled me to pick myself up time and time again. There is a quote I am now consciously aware of and live my life by and that is "For as much is given, much is expected".
I have now realised that I have lived my life in decades, 0-10 dreaming as a kid, 10-20 education and realisation that i could live my dreams. 20-30yrs 60 Countries and living my sporting dreams. 30-40 two more kids, a grandchild and 110 communities around Australia, mentoring and promoting better health and education to my people. So now i am embarking on a new phase of life.....Stay Tuned...!!!
http://novaperis.blogspot.com.au/
