Eva Lawler ‘had no ambition’ for NT Chief Minister
Eva Lawler has revealed what compelled her to run for the top job and said she won favour with both factions of the party.
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Eva Lawler admits she had “no ambition” to become Chief Minister and reveals what compelled her to take the top job.
On Thursday, Ms Lawler said she was “very happy” in her previous roles before being sworn-in as the Northern Territory Chief Minister.
“When Natasha Fyles stepped down, I actually had no ambition to be Chief Minister,” she said.
“I was very happy in the roles I had – treasury is a big job in the Territory and I was very fulfilled by that role.
“But I had my colleagues come to me and say that they’ve seen me in action over seven years, I’m someone they respect, (someone) they look up to.”
Ms Lawler said she won favour with both the ‘left’ and ‘right’ factions of the party.
“Maybe it’s because I’m the oldest in the house – I think I am – but I’ve always had very good relationship with my colleagues both on the left and the right,” she said.
“And both came to me and said they wanted me to put my hand and I did that and, as I said, the result of the straw poll that we had was that I was unanimously elected.”
A schoolteacher in her previous life, Ms Lawler said “you need everybody” when asked if “career politicians” was an issue.
“You need everything, you need everybody, you need a range – that’s absolutely what makes a good cabinet,” she said.
“(In cabinet) I have often been the oldest person there, but it is also amazing to have young people there who provide a perspective of young people that really understand young people's’ issues.”
Ms Lawler confirmed she leaned more to the ‘right’ in the party but was not faction-aligned when she first joined politics.
“I got into politics at 55, I wasn’t actually aligned for the first four years (and) I actually didn’t even know factions really when I first got into politics.”
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