‘I’m strongest when in the bush’: Gwoja MLA Chansey Paech reveals aspirations for Central Australia
IN a sit-down interview with the NT News, Labor’s only representative in Central Australia, Member for Gwoja and new minister Chansey Paech, outlines his plans for the next term of government.
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FUNDING football infrastructure in remote communities so they can host regular games will be a focus for new Gwoja MLA Chansey Paech in the next four years.
“I want to see community football games being played in remote communities, and I want to see the infrastructure in those communities to a standard that can support those games,” Mr Paech told the NT News.
The only Labor representative in Central Australia said he also wanted to focus on an investment in renewables across the bush.
“I want to see energy renewables, but it’s also around water, and how we can look at greening our remote communities so that they’re places that have trees and grass and meeting places where people can come together as families and as communities.”
Mr Paech was elevated to the NT government cabinet earlier this month following a four-year stint in parliament when he became the first Indigenous speaker of an Australian parliament.
The former Namatjira MLA said his campaigning over the last term led to the positive result in the second largest electorate because “people talk”.
The born-and-bred Alice Springs politician, whose heritage includes Eastern Arrernte and Gurindji, says he’s not daunted by the challenge and is already getting on with the job.
Mr Paech is the Minister for Remote Housing and Town Camps; Central Australian Economic Reconstruction; Arts, Culture and Heritage; Local Government; and Indigenous Essential Services.
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He said he was looking forward to running the portfolios that held the key to better outcomes in the bush.
“Getting behind and supporting our arts and creative industries is critical. I’m really wanting to establish a creative economy,” Mr Paech said. “Let’s use art as an economic engine in Territory communities.
“There’s that non-Indigenous cultural element we need to continue to build on but also, how do we invest in Aboriginal culture and heritage, so that our people are strong, their culture is strong, and kids are strong.”
He said there was a “a lot of positive things on the horizon” for the Central Australian economic reconstruction.
“I’m working with my committee to turn those into a reality, so we see significant investments in Central Australia and we see more flights, more people and more life into this beautiful place.”
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