Independent NT senate candidate Que Kenny defends flat earth beliefs

An independent running for the Northern Territory senate has defended her ‘personal, religious’ flat earth beliefs, after the Greens refused to endorse her as a candidate.

A Northern Territory senate candidate has defended her flat earth beliefs, arguing they have nothing to do with the issues at the centre of her campaign.

Arrernte woman Que Kenny is running as an independent candidate in the federal election, recently splitting from the Greens after the party refused to endorse her as a candidate due to what she described as her “personal, religious beliefs”.

Originally from Hermannsburg (Ntaria), an Aboriginal community west of Alice Springs, Ms Kenny is a community service worker and longtime activist, and described herself as “an on and off” member of the Greens party.

At home in Hermannsburg in 2017. Picture: Chloe Erlich/The Australian

Ms Kenny said she had progressed to being vetted as a Greens candidate for the May 3 election when videos on her Facebook raised “red flags”.

“Just small things, flat earth things. It helps me to relax,” she told the NT News.

“It’s irrelevant to the campaign, I don’t intend anyone else to believe it, or to follow what I believe in.

“The Greens have their reasons to drop me as a candidate, but I thought they were a party that believes in diversity and different beliefs.”

Asked directly if she thought the earth was flat, Ms Kenny said she was “not sure either way”.

“If you read the scriptures, it’s either way how people could want to believe it,” she said.

“There is past historic evidence in scriptures in the Bible.”

Ms Kenny said her focus was on real, systemic change and solutions for First Nations Territorians.

“I am a strong advocate for my people when it comes to human rights,” she said.

“I have been an environmental activist and spoken about the impacts of fracking and mining on this land internationally.

“I have always been active in my community, from family violence mediation, to em-ceeing events, to previously managing the Western Arrernte bulldogs football club.”

Ms Kenny said she was pleased to run as an independent as it gave her more freedom to campaign in the bush – after being told by the Greens the party did not have the resources to reach remote parts of the Northern Territory.

“The Greens said they don’t have enough money or resources to do a bush campaign,” she said.

“It says to me they’re not really interested … now I’m an independent I’m on my sixth remote community so far.”

Que Kenny, independent Northern Territory senate candidate for the 2025 federal election. Picture: Supplied.

In a statement the Greens wished Ms Kenny the best with her candidacy.

“The NT Greens have confidential probity processes,” NT party manager Harriet Scandol said.

“Unfortunately, we were unable to endorse Ms Kenny as a candidate at this election.

“The NT Greens are a small party with limited resources because we do not take big corporate political donations. As such we are unable to run large, active campaigns across remote communities at this time.

“We were exploring ways to do so with Ms Kenny when we were in discussions about her potential candidacy.”

Originally published as Independent NT senate candidate Que Kenny defends flat earth beliefs