Selena Uibo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Selena Uibo
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Official portrait, 2025
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| 14th Leader of the Opposition in the Northern Territory | |
| Assumed office 3 September 2024 |
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| Deputy | Dheran Young |
| Preceded by | Lia Finocchiaro |
| Leader of the Territory Labor Party | |
| Assumed office 3 September 2024 |
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| Deputy | Dheran Young |
| Preceded by | Eva Lawler |
| Member of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly for Arnhem |
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| Assumed office 27 August 2016 |
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| Preceded by | Larisa Lee |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 25 March 1985 Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia |
| Political party | Labor Party |
| Occupation | Teacher |
Selena Jane Malijarri Uibo (born 25 March 1985) is an Aboriginal Australian politician who made history in 2024. She became the first Aboriginal woman to lead a major political party in Australia.
Since September 2024, she has been the leader of the Labor Party in the Northern Territory. This also makes her the Leader of the Opposition. The Leader of the Opposition is the head of the main party that is not in power. Their job is to question the government's decisions and suggest different ideas.
Selena has been a member of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly since 2016, representing the people of Arnhem.
Contents
Early Life and Teaching Career
Selena Uibo was born in the Northern Territory. Her family background is a mix of many cultures. Her mother is an Aboriginal woman from the Nunggubuyu and Wanindilyakwa groups in Arnhem Land. Her father has Estonian, Irish, and South African roots.
She grew up in Batchelor and Darwin. As a young person, she was involved in many youth leadership programs.
In 2010, Selena graduated from the University of Queensland with degrees in Arts and Education. She was the valedictorian, which means she was the top student chosen to give a speech at graduation. She started her career as a high school teacher. Later, she moved to the community of Numbulwar to teach.
Her work as a teacher earned her several awards. In 2013, she won a national award for teaching students about managing money. She was also named the best teacher in her region for her work in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education.
Entering the World of Politics
| Years | Term | Electoral division | Party | |
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| 2016–2020 | 13th | Arnhem | Australian Labor Party | |
| 2020–present | 14th | Arnhem | Australian Labor Party | |
In 2016, Selena Uibo decided to enter politics. She was elected to the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly to represent the area of Arnhem. She won the election with strong support from the voters in her community.
Taking on New Roles in Government
Because of her hard work, Selena was given important jobs in the Northern Territory government. These roles are called ministries.
In 2018, she became the Minister for Education and Training. This meant she was in charge of schools and job training programs across the territory. In 2019, she also became the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs.
After the 2020 election, she was given even more responsibilities. She became the Attorney-General, which is the government's top lawyer. She was also made the Minister for Justice, Treaty and Local Decision Making, and Parks and Rangers.
Leading the Opposition
In September 2024, Selena was chosen to be the new leader of the NT Labor Party. This also made her the Leader of the Opposition. Her deputy leader is Dheran Young.
As Leader of the Opposition, one of her jobs is to make sure the government is being honest and responsible. In May 2025, she asked a government committee to look into how public money was being spent by the Darwin Waterfront Corporation. She wanted to make sure everything was being done fairly and correctly.
