Adam Giles facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Adam Giles
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Giles in 2015
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| 10th Chief Minister of the Northern Territory | |
| In office 14 March 2013 – 31 August 2016 |
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| Deputy | Dave Tollner Peter Chandler Willem Westra van Holthe Peter Styles |
| Administrator | Sally Thomas John Hardy |
| Preceded by | Terry Mills |
| Succeeded by | Michael Gunner |
| Leader of the Country Liberal Party | |
| In office 14 March 2013 – 2 September 2016 |
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| Deputy | Dave Tollner (2013–14) Peter Chandler (2014–15) Willem Westra van Holthe (2015–2016) Peter Styles (2016) |
| Preceded by | Terry Mills |
| Succeeded by | Gary Higgins |
| Member of the Northern Territory Parliament for Braitling |
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| In office 9 August 2008 – 27 August 2016 |
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| Preceded by | Loraine Braham |
| Succeeded by | Dale Wakefield |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Adam Graham Romer
10 April 1973 Springwood, New South Wales, Australia |
| Political party | Country Liberal Party |
| Residence | Alice Springs |
| Cabinet | Giles Ministry |
Adam Graham Giles (born 10 April 1973) is an Australian former politician. He was the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory from 2013 to 2016. He also led the Country Liberal Party (CLP) in the Parliament of the Northern Territory.
Adam Giles made history as the first Indigenous Australian to become a head of government in Australia. He was a member of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly for the area of Braitling. He won this seat in the 2008 election.
In 2012, the CLP, led by Terry Mills, won the election. They defeated the Labor government. Less than a year later, Adam Giles was chosen by his party to replace Terry Mills as Chief Minister.
His government faced challenges, including members leaving the party. In the 2016 election, his government lost badly to the Labor Party. Adam Giles also lost his own seat in Parliament. After leaving politics, he started hosting a TV show called The Adam Giles Show on Sky News Australia.
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Early Life and Public Service
Adam Giles was born in Springwood, a town in New South Wales. His father's family had Kamilaroi (Indigenous Australian) heritage. When his parents separated, he took his stepfather's last name, Giles.
After finishing high school, Adam Giles studied accounting and real estate. He worked in property management. Later, he helped manage public housing for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC). This organization helped Indigenous Australians.
He then moved to Canberra, Australia's capital city. There, he worked for the Australian government. He advised on social and economic policies. He also ran as a candidate for the Liberal Party of Australia in a federal election in 2004, but he did not win.
Becoming a Member of Parliament
| Years | Term | Electoral division | Party | |
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| 2008–2012 | 11th | Braitling | Country Liberal Party | |
| 2012–2016 | 12th | Braitling | Country Liberal Party | |
Adam Giles worked with the Northern Territory's Indigenous Economic Taskforce. This work took him across the Territory. He eventually settled in Alice Springs.
In 2007, he ran for a federal election seat called Lingiari. He lost to the Labor Party candidate. In 2008, he ran for the seat of Braitling in the Northern Territory election. He won this election, becoming a Member of the Legislative Assembly.
After the 2012 Northern Territory election, Adam Giles became a Minister. He was in charge of Transport, Infrastructure, and Local Government.
Chief Minister of the Northern Territory
Becoming Chief Minister in 2013
Adam Giles became the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory on 14 March 2013. He replaced Terry Mills as the leader of the Country Liberal Party. This happened while Terry Mills was away on a trip.
When Adam Giles became Chief Minister, he was the first Indigenous person to lead a state or territory government in Australia.
Challenges in 2015
In February 2015, another politician, Willem Westra van Holthe, tried to become the leader of the party. The party members voted, and Willem Westra van Holthe was chosen as the new leader. However, Adam Giles refused to step down as Chief Minister.
After some discussions, Adam Giles remained Chief Minister and party leader. Willem Westra van Holthe became his deputy.
Losing Majority Government
Over time, four members of the Country Liberal Party left the party. This meant the CLP no longer had enough members to form a majority government on their own. They had to rely on support from other politicians.
Port of Darwin Lease
In 2015, when Adam Giles was Chief Minister, his government leased the Port Darwin to a Chinese company for 99 years. This decision caused some concern because of the port's important location. It is near Australian and U.S. military facilities.
2016 Election Defeat
The 2016 Northern Territory election was held on 27 August. Before the election, polls showed that the Country Liberal Party was likely to lose. Many people expected a big change in government.
The election results were a huge defeat for Adam Giles's government. It was the worst loss for a sitting government in the Northern Territory's history. Adam Giles himself lost his seat of Braitling to the Labor Party candidate, Dale Wakefield. This made him the second Chief Minister in the Northern Territory to lose his own seat while in office.
After the election, Adam Giles resigned as the leader of the Country Liberal Party.
Media Career
In May 2018, Adam Giles started hosting a weekly discussion show on Sky News Australia. The show was called The Adam Giles Show.
See Also
- 2013 Country Liberal Party leadership spill
- 2015 Country Liberal Party leadership spill
- 2016 Northern Territory general election
Images for kids
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Giles in 2015
