Seasoned political hand returns to NT to help Labor stay in power

Territory Labor have looked to the past to plan for the future. See who they’ve appointed to a top political spot.

Eight months out from the next Northern Territory election, chief minister Eva Lawler has appointed an experienced political campaigner as her new chief of staff.

Long-time former Territorian Mark Nelson, who worked on Clare Martin’s successful 2001 election campaign, will take up the chief of staff’s job within weeks.

He will replace former chief minister Natasha Fyles’ chief of staff Gabrielle Mappas, who is now employed in the ministerial office of Mining and Education Minister Mark Monaghan.

Mr Nelson has had decades of experience in political offices and the private sector in government relations roles.

Mark Nelson, Eva Lawler’s new Labor chief of staff

His most recent LinkedIn post shows he was employed for more than 14-years with Kampei PL providing government affairs advice to Inpex, operator of the Ichthys LNG project.

In the 1990s he was employed as a staffer with the national office of the Australian Services Union in Melbourne, where he survived a factional power play that almost cost him his job.

Left-wing members of the so-called Groupers fought to have him replaced, but he managed to hold onto the job with the backing of the union’s right-wing faction.

In 2001, Nelson worked on Clare Martin’s successful election campaign which saw Labor win government for the first time in the Northern Territory.

Nelson was one of a number of young, ambitious Labor staffers who helped secure the win, which also included future chief minister Michael Gunner and respected political operative David ‘Bags’ Money.

Former Chief Minister Paul Henderson at the swearing in of Natasha Fyles’ Cabinet in May 202. Picture: Glenn Campbell

After Labor took office in August 2001 he was appointed chief of staff to new minister Paul Henderson, where he remained until October 2007.

His connection with Henderson is significant given the role the former chief minister and now Territory Labor powerbroker played in securing Ms Lawler the numbers to snatch the Labor leadership last month.

Nelson spent two years as government affairs advisor before leaving the NT in 2009.

Educated at Melbourne’s De La Salle College, Nelson accumulated bachelor degrees in economics and law from Monash University before securing a masters degree in industrial and employee relations.

He also received a Master’s degree in demography.

Ms Lawler confirmed Mr Nelson’s appointment.

“Yes, Mark Nelson is coming on board as my chief of staff in the coming weeks,” Ms Lawler said.

“Mark knows the Territory well, having worked in the Territory for many years.”

Suzanne Morgan, Ms Lawler’s ministerial chief of staff, will be deputy chief of staff in the Chief Minister’s office.