Malarndirri McCarthy facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Senator The Honourable Malarndirri McCarthy
McCarthy in 2022
Minister for Indigenous Australians
Incumbent
Assumed office 29 July 2024
Prime Minister	Anthony Albanese
Preceded by	Linda Burney
Assistant Minister for Indigenous Australians
In office 1 June 2022 – 28 July 2024
Prime Minister	Anthony Albanese
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Position abolished
Assistant Minister for Indigenous Health
In office 1 June 2022 – 28 July 2024
Prime Minister	Anthony Albanese
Preceded by	(position established)
Succeeded by	Ged Kearney
Senator for the Northern Territory
Incumbent
Assumed office 2 July 2016
Preceded by	Nova Peris
Member of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly for Arnhem
In office 18 June 2005 – 24 August 2012
Preceded by	Jack Ah Kit
Succeeded by	Larisa Lee
Personal details
Born	Barbara Anne McCarthy 1970 (age 54–55) Katherine, Northern Territory, Australia
Political party	Labor
Alma mater	St Scholastica's College
Occupation	Politician

Malarndirri Barbara Anne McCarthy, born in 1970, is an Indigenous Australian politician. She used to be a journalist. Since 2016, she has been a Senator for the Northern Territory.

As of July 29, 2024, she is the Minister for Indigenous Australians in the Albanese Government. Before becoming a Senator, she worked in the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly.

McCarthy worked as a reporter and newsreader for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation for 16 years. In 2005, she was elected to the NT Legislative Assembly for the Arnhem area. She was re-elected in 2008. After that, she became a minister, holding different roles for four years.

She lost her seat in the 2012 election. Then, she went back to journalism, working for NITV and SBS News. In 2016, she returned to politics as a leading candidate for the Labor Party in the Senate election. In July 2024, she became the Minister for Indigenous Australians.

Early Life and School

Barbara Anne McCarthy was born in 1970 in Katherine, Northern Territory. Her mother was Limandabina Charlie, and her father was John McCarthy. She is proud of her Aboriginal heritage. Her mother's family comes from the Garrwa and Yanyuwa peoples. Their traditional lands are near the McArthur River and the Gulf of Carpentaria.

Her father was from Sydney and had Irish family roots. She was raised with respect for both Indigenous traditions and Catholic values. McCarthy was mostly raised by her father. However, she was always encouraged to connect with her Aboriginal culture. She learned through what is now called "two-way learning."

McCarthy first went to school in Borroloola, then in Alice Springs. She spent six years at St Scholastica's College in Sydney. She was the school captain there in 1988.

Her Career Journey

Starting in Journalism

In 1989, McCarthy began training as a journalist at ABC Darwin. This happened after her English teacher suggested it. She worked as a reporter for TV and radio across Australia. In 1993, she became the weeknight newsreader for ABC News in Darwin. She also presented the show Stateline.

In 1997, she returned to Borroloola. There, she helped start the first community radio station, B102.9FM. She also helped set up a cultural and media training center. This center was for the Yanyuwa, Kudanji, Garrawa, and Mara people.

She worked for the ABC for 16 years. After that, she started her own media company called Malarndirri Media.

First Steps in Northern Territory Politics

In 2005, McCarthy was chosen to run for the Labor Party in Arnhem. She won with a large number of votes. Her election meant that ten women were in the 25-seat assembly. This was a high number for women in parliament at the time.

McCarthy was one of five Indigenous candidates elected. This showed the number of Indigenous people in the Territory. During her first term, she voted against her party's decision. This was about changing the McArthur River for mining. She did this because of the spiritual and cultural importance of the river to her Country.

In 2007, her mother passed away suddenly. Her mother had strongly supported land rights for the Borroloola people. Out of respect for her mother, McCarthy added her Yanyuwa name, Malarndirri.

She was re-elected without opposition in the 2008 election. After being re-elected, McCarthy became a minister. From 2008 to 2009, she was the Minister for Children and Families. She also worked on policies for women, seniors, and young people. She pushed for changes in child protection and homelands policies.

In 2009, her roles doubled after a government change. She worked on local government, economic development, and Indigenous development. She also kept her roles for women and statehood. In the 2012 election, McCarthy lost her seat. This happened during a big loss for the Labor Party in remote areas.

Back to Reporting

After leaving politics, McCarthy returned to journalism. She worked for National Indigenous Television (NITV) and SBS until 2016.

In 2013, she won an award for her story about the Thorne Brothers. These two brothers from Perth were in Saudi Arabia. She also wrote a story about Mercedes-Benz filming an advertisement at Wave Rock. This place is very important to Aboriginal custodians. Mercedes-Benz later apologized to the traditional owners.

McCarthy was a journalist and presenter at NITV and SBS News. She led a team for NITV National News. Later, she presented NITV News Week in Review.

National Politics

After Nova Peris resigned, McCarthy was asked to run for the Senate. She represented the Northern Territory, including Christmas and Cocos (Keeling) Islands. She won a Senate seat in the July 2, 2016, federal election. This brought more votes to the Australian Labor Party.

McCarthy was the first federal politician to list her ownership of traditional Indigenous lands. She was a Temporary Chair of Committees from 2017 to 2019. In 2019, she became the Opposition Deputy Whip in the Senate.

Before the 2017 same-sex marriage vote, she strongly supported changing the laws. She has also spoken against the permanent use of the cashless debit card in the NT. She believes the territory needs programs that create jobs with fair pay.

After the 2022 federal election in July 2022, McCarthy became the Assistant Minister for Indigenous Australians. She also became the Assistant Minister for Indigenous Health. She focuses on Indigenous health, especially kidney disease among Aboriginal Australians.

Before the 2023 Indigenous Voice to Paraliament referendum, McCarthy strongly supported the "Yes" vote.

McCarthy has been very active in parliamentary committees. These committees work on different topics. She has been a chair for committees on Stillbirth Research and the Aboriginal Flag.

Minister for Indigenous Australians

In July 2024, she became the Minister for Indigenous Australians. This meant she joined the main group of ministers, called the cabinet. This is the first time that both the minister and the shadow minister for Indigenous Australians are Aboriginal women from the Northern Territory. The shadow minister is Jacinta Nampijinpa Price.

Soon after she became minister, the latest Closing the Gap report came out. It showed that only five of 19 targets were on track. She said she would focus on these targets. She hopes to work on Indigenous affairs with support from all parties.

She attended the Garma Festival in Arnhem Land with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. This was within a week of becoming minister. She also gave her first TV interview there.

Other Activities and Interests

While working as a journalist, McCarthy also worked at her sons' school, Saint Ignatius' College. She helped create a program about First Nations people. She taught year 7 students about Indigenous landcare. She would also take students to the NT. She called this a "deeply spiritual experience."

In 2017, she gave a speech at the National Indigenous Human Rights Awards. She spoke about believing in the impossible. She mentioned Eddie Koiki Mabo, a land rights campaigner.

In 2018, McCarthy was invited to give the Kerferd Oration in Beechworth, Victoria. In 2024, she gave the Venerable Mary Aikenhead Oration. Her topic was "Improving health and education outcomes for Indigenous Australians."

She has been involved with the Community Development Fund. She was also a patron for SIDS & Kids NT for 12 years. She has been a member of Emily's List and Women's Network NT.

TV Appearances

McCarthy has been a guest on ABC Television's Q+A panel show several times.

Awards and Recognition

A photo of McCarthy by Penny Tweedie is in the National Portrait Gallery of Australia.

Awards she received as a journalist include:

• 2013: Won the first journalism award for Story of the Year at the Deadly Awards.
• 2013: Nominated for a Walkley Award for her story on Mercedes-Benz.
• 2014: Nominated for a Walkley Award with the NITV team. This was for a documentary about the Bowraville murders.
• 2014: Named Journalist of the Year at the NSW Multicultural and Indigenous Media Awards.
• 2015: Nominated for a Logie Awards for her coverage of a police raid in Moree.

Personal Life

McCarthy raised three sons as a single mother. One of her sons, CJ, has a physical disability. He works with young people and won a scholarship to play wheelchair basketball.

In July 2022, McCarthy married Richard Bryant in Darwin. Senator Don Farrell attended the wedding.

She also has kinship responsibilities for four young women. These are the daughters of her "cousin–sister" and "cousin-brother." She and her husband act as parents to these children.

In the remote area where she grew up, people call her "Mal," "Barb," or "yapa."

In 2015, McCarthy was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease. She inherited this from her mother. In 2019, she had to go to the hospital from Parliament due to a kidney infection.