Alison Anderson new MP for the nation's 'basket case' - Papunya

Aboriginal MP’s such as Alison Anderson have the opportunity to provide, in the words of her campaign slogan, a “strong voice” for the marginalised people who make up her electorate. Many of these people face considerable problems within their own communities, including poor housing, poor health, violence, a general lack of employment and other opportunities, and boredom and alienation.

Commonwealth agencies are reluctant, particularly since the mainstreaming of Indigenous-specific programs, to support people staying on their lands in rural and remote areas because of the costs of sustaining housing and infrastructure. At the same time, those community people who gravitate towards regional centres such as Alice Springs in search of opportunities and diversion, or to receive or to assist those receiving medical treatment, are often faced with a dearth of programs or support, particularly with accommodation and employment options.

Some of these itinerant people go on to become the target of “anti-social behaviour” policies. They are people without a strong voice, caught between two worlds. It shouldn’t be hard to understand why the communities of Macdonnell thought there was no one more appropriate than a forthright Aboriginal woman from within their ranks to represent them.

Just before Anderson went live on the ABC’s election night coverage, she asked the film crew if she could say something in language, to thank her helpers and those people who’d voted for her.

“Yes, if you’re very quick,” the camera operator said, explaining that they might cut her off as the election coverage returned to the main studio in Darwin.

Anderson did get that message in language out in time. Let’s hope we might hear many more swift interventions by Aboriginal MPs on behalf of their people.