On January 10th, Australia´s first Indigenous political party was officially registered and will participate in the next federal election and Northern Territory (NT) state elections. Indigenous people are estimated to make up about 2.7 percent of the Australian population and 32 percent of Northern Territory residents are Indigenous.
Now that First Nations Political Party is reigstered, it can focus on electing an executive and preselecting candidates. The party plans on campaigning on issues such as the Northern Territory intervention, statehood for the NT, and greater consultation over the Muckaty Station radioactive waste dump in NT.
First Nations founder and organiser Maurie Japarta Ryan said there were many people among the estimated 2,500 party supporters who wanted to run as candidates.
The Party's website is http://www.firstnationspoliticalparty.org/about.html.
Source: Centre for Rights of Indigenous Peoples
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