Yanyuwa woman Northern Territory Senator Malarndirri McCarthy creates history at the United Nations.

Senator Malarndirri McCarthy is a Yanyuwa woman from the Gulf country in the Northern Territory.

She first entered the public sphere as a journalist with the ABC and more recently for SBS/NITV.

Senator McCarthy was elected to the Northern Territory Assembly as the Member for Arnhem in 2005. During her seven years in the Assembly, she held the Ministerial Portfolios of Local Government, Regional Development, Indigenous Development, Tourism, Women’s Policy and Statehood.

She was elected as Senator for the Northern Territory (including Christmas and Cocos Keeling Islands) in August 2016.

“As a Yanyuwa Garrawa woman from Gulf Country in the Northern Territory, I’m incredibly proud and humbled to represent all Australian women and girls with this distinguished delegation on the world stage.”

Assistant Minister for Indigenous Australians and Indigenous Health, Northern Territory Senator Malarndirri McCarthy has created history by being the first Aboriginal Australian woman to deliver Australia’s National Statement to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women in New York.

In delivering Australia’s National Statement, Senator McCarthy highlighted that gender equality is at the heart of the Australian Government’s vision for a better future.

Addressing the forum’s theme of Innovation and technological change, and education in the digital age for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls, the statement underscored the need to ensure inclusion in technology and innovation and closing the digital divide, especially for First Nations women, women living in rural and remote areas, and those impacted by natural disasters.

Senator McCarthy also told the UN that the Albanese Government will deliver on an election promise and introduce a National Strategy to Achieve Gender Equality .