Werte, I’m Blair and I’m standing for the Greens in Namatjira.
I came to the Territory in 1986 and have lived in Central Australia ever since. I’ve worked for nearly 40 years in justice. Now, I’m the 2024 NT Australian of the Year - and I want to use my platform to push everyone in Territory politics to be better.
I’m running for Namatjira to give all our communities a positive alternative to vote for - for safer communities, for First Nations justice, for nature and climate, and for easing the cost of living.
I came to the NT as a volunteer for the Conservation Commission, catching snakes. I fell in love with the place and decided this could be home. For 8 years I worked as a Probation Officer in remote Central Australia, living in Papunya and Yuendumu for about 4 years. For nearly 30 years, I have worked for Tangentyere Council helping remote communities set up night patrols In 2002, I founded the Central Australian Youth Link Up Service (CAYLUS) with Tangentyere, Congress, NPY Women’s Council and other key community stakeholders to tackle the petrol sniffing epidemic. The Prevention strategy we rolled out was a great success, with a 95% reduction in sniffing that has been sustained since 2007. From that success, we learned how to focus government policy and community action on prevention. Using that experience, I am sure we could have a similar effect on crime.
We need a completely different approach to helping young people and finding justice, especially for First Nations kids. The Greens’ plan is a clear way to get there. All we need is focussed political action.
As part of the community campaign for non-sniffable fuel, I worked with Greens Senator Rachel Siewert to secure the Opal fuel rollout. That rollout has saved hundreds of young lives here, and transformed our communities in Alice and out bush. Having a Green in Parliament helped shine a light on urgent issues that other politicians didn’t understand.
Voting 1 for the Greens at this Territory election tells the major parties they need to do better. The Greens are the only party running at this election that doesn’t take political donations. We’re the only party with plans to look after the climate and nature. That’s why I’m running with the Greens, to be able to tell my grandkids I did what I could to help prevent the climate collapse that we are starting to see all around us.
I’ll be out campaigning at the markets, on the streets and talking with as many of you as I can during the campaign ahead. I’m the bloke in the blue Akubra. If you see me, come say hello and talk to me about what you’re interested in for the future of our communities!
Namatjira is a huge seat. I know all the communities there well, having worked for justice in all of them over the decades. I probably won’t be able to travel the whole seat on our community-funded campaign budget. If you can’t reach me in person in Mparntwe or on the road, please get in touch with me any time to discuss the issues that matter to you.
