# Chansey Paech

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{{Short description|Australian politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Use Australian English|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific_prefix          = [The Honourable](/source/The_Honourable)
| name                      = Chansey Paech
| honorific_suffix          = [MLA](/source/Northern_Territory_Legislative_Assembly)
| image                     = File:Chansey_Paech.jpg
| alt                       =
| caption                   = 
| office                    = 20th [Deputy Chief Minister of the Northern Territory](/source/Deputy_Chief_Minister_of_the_Northern_Territory)
| term_start                = 21 December 2023
| term_end                  = 28 August 2024
| 1blankname                = [Chief Minister](/source/Chief_Minister_of_the_Northern_Territory)
| 1namedata                 = [Eva Lawler](/source/Eva_Lawler)
| predecessor               = [Nicole Manison](/source/Nicole_Manison)
| successor                 = [Gerard Maley](/source/Gerard_Maley)
| office1                   = [Attorney-General of the Northern Territory](/source/Attorney-General_of_the_Northern_Territory)
| term_start1               = 23 May 2022
| term_end1                 = 28 August 2024
| 2blankname1               = Chief Minister
| 2namedata1                = [Natasha Fyles](/source/Natasha_Fyles) <br> [Eva Lawler](/source/Eva_Lawler)
| deputy1                   = 
| predecessor1              = [Selena Uibo](/source/Selena_Uibo)
| successor1                = [Gerard Maley](/source/Gerard_Maley)
| office2                   = 12th Speaker of the [Northern Territory Legislative Assembly](/source/Northern_Territory_Legislative_Assembly)
| term_start2               = 23 June 2020
| term_end2                 = 7 September 2020
| predecessor2              = [Kezia Purick](/source/Kezia_Purick)
| successor2                = [Ngaree Ah Kit](/source/Ngaree_Ah_Kit)
| constituency_AM3          = [Gwoja](/source/Electoral_division_of_Gwoja)
| assembly3                 = Northern Territory Legislative
| majority3                 = 
| term_start3               = 22 August 2020
| term_end3                 = 
| predecessor3              = ''New seat''
| successor3                = 
| constituency_AM4          = [Namatjira](/source/Electoral_division_of_Namatjira)
| assembly4                 = Northern Territory Legislative
| majority4                 = 
| term_start4               = 27 August 2016
| term_end4                 = 22 August 2020
| predecessor4              = [Alison Anderson](/source/Alison_Anderson)
| successor4                = [Bill Yan](/source/Bill_Yan)
| birth_date                = November 1987
| birth_place               = [Alice Springs](/source/Alice_Springs), [Northern Territory](/source/Northern_Territory), Australia
| death_date                = <!-- {{Death date and age|df=yes|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} or {{Death-date and age|df=yes|Month DD, YYYY|Month DD, YYYY}} (death date then birth date) -->
| death_place               = 
| resting_place             = 
| resting_place_coordinates = 
| birth_name                = Chanston James Paech
| citizenship               = 
| party                     = [Labor Party](/source/Australian_Labor_Party_(Northern_Territory_Branch))
| spouse                    = 
| partner                   = 
| relations                 = 
| children                  = 
| alma_mater                = 
| occupation                =  
}}
'''Chanston James''' "'''Chansey'''" '''Paech''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|tʃ|æ|n|z|i|_|p|eɪ|k}}, {{respell|CHAN|zee|_|PAYK}}; born 1987) is an Australian politician. He is a [Labor Party](/source/Australian_Labor_Party_(Northern_Territory_Branch)) member of the [Northern Territory Legislative Assembly](/source/Northern_Territory_Legislative_Assembly) since 2016, representing the electorate of [Namatjira](/source/Electoral_division_of_Namatjira) until 2020 and [Gwoja](/source/Electoral_division_of_Gwoja) thereafter. He is of [Arrente, Arabana](/source/Aranda_people) and [Gurindji](/source/Gurindji_people) descent.<ref name="sbs">{{cite news |last=Winsor |first=Ben |date=25 October 2016 |title=Chansey Paech is Australia's first gay, Indigenous parliamentarian |work=[Special Broadcasting Service](/source/Special_Broadcasting_Service) |url=http://www.sbs.com.au/topics/sexuality/agenda/article/2016/09/07/chansey-paech-australias-first-gay-indigenous-parliamentarian |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161024144609/http://www.sbs.com.au/topics/sexuality/agenda/article/2016/09/07/chansey-paech-australias-first-gay-indigenous-parliamentarian |url-status=dead |archive-date=24 October 2016 |access-date=6 May 2017 }}</ref>

== Early life and education ==
Chanston James Paech was born in 1987 in [Alice Springs](/source/Alice_Springs), in the [Northern Territory of Australia](/source/Northern_Territory_of_Australia). His mother is [Aboriginal](/source/Aboriginal_Australians), of the [Arrernte](/source/Arrernte_people) and [Gurindji](/source/Gurindji_people) peoples, and his father of German descent.<ref name=sbsnitv>{{cite news |url=http://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/2016/10/19/full-text-chansey-paechs-maiden-speech-parliament |title=Full Text: Chansey Paech's maiden speech to parliament |last=Winsor |first=Ben |work=[Special Broadcasting Service](/source/Special_Broadcasting_Service) |date=19 October 2016 |access-date=6 May 2017}}</ref>

He is the great-great-grandson of Central Australian pioneer, [Topsy Smith](/source/Topsy_Smith), and the great-great nephew of bushman [Walter Smith](/source/Walter_Smith_(bushman)).<ref>{{cite news |date=14 August 2002 |title=Walking Through Time: The Ghans Return . |agency=Alice Springs News |url=http://www.alicespringsnews.com.au/0928.html |accessdate=3 January 2017}}</ref> Paech is the only openly gay male MP in the NT Legislative Assembly, and before entering politics, he was a prominent [LGBT rights activist](/source/LGBT_rights_in_Australia).{{Citation needed|date=April 2024}}

Paech was educated in Alice Springs and participated in many youth programs, including the inaugural National Indigenous Youth Parliament.{{citation needed|date=March 2023}} He went on to study at [Charles Darwin University](/source/Charles_Darwin_University) in the fields of environmental and land management, conservation, and horticulture.{{citation needed|date=March 2023}}

==Early career==
Paech was elected to the Alice Springs Town Council in 2012 and served until entering the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly in 2016.
.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Brash |first1=Stewart |date=31 March 2012 |title=Damien Ryan re-elected as Alice Springs Mayor |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |agency=ABC Alice Springs |url=http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2012/03/31/3468067.htm |accessdate=28 August 2016}}</ref>

He also served as a Director of the Central Australian Aboriginal Congress and as Deputy Chair of the Institute for Aboriginal Development, working alongside prominent Aboriginal activist Pat Turner.<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_Turner_(Aboriginal_activist)</ref>

== Policies ==
===Justice===
Paech was sworn in as the Northern Territory Attorney General in May 2022 and committed to overhauling the Northern Territory's Justice and Correctional systems, in October 2022 Paech introduced a suite of laws raising the age of criminal responsibility and reforming adult mandatory sentencing.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-10-12 |title='Watershed moment': Northern Territory raises age of criminal responsibility |language=en-AU |work=ABC News |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-13/nt-to-raise-age-of-criminal-responsibility-mandatory-sentencing/101529286 |access-date=2023-03-07}}</ref>

Paech also introduced a suite of amendments to the Northern Territory's anti-discrimination laws to give better protections for vulnerable people and minority groups.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-11-22 |title=NT passes new anti-discrimination laws after hours of debate and amid fierce criticism |language=en-AU |work=ABC News |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-11-23/anti-discrimination-amendments-bill-passed-by-nt-parliament/101686598 |access-date=2023-03-07}}</ref>

In February 2022, Paech, having responsibility for the Northern Territory's [sacred sites](/source/Aboriginal_Australian_sacred_site) legislation, tabled a decision in Northern Territory parliament to reject an application to expand the controversial McArthur River mine.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Kurmelovs |first1=Royce |last2=Allam |first2=Lorena |date=2022-02-16 |title=NT government rejects Glencore bid to build toxic dump near sacred site |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/feb/16/nt-government-rejects-glencore-bid-to-build-toxic-dump-near-sacred-site |access-date=2023-03-07 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

===Housing===
In the [Gunner Ministry](/source/Gunner_ministry) Paech was sworn in as the Minister for Remote Housing, Homelands and Town Camps. He opposed the federal [Morrison Government](/source/Morrison_government) for failures to deliver remote housing on homelands and town camps.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2021-10-03 |title=Homelands residents living in tents while governments haggle over responsibility for new houses |language=en-AU |work=ABC News |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-04/nt-asks-federal-government-for-remote-housing-money/100509386 |access-date=2023-03-07}}</ref>

=== Views ===
Paech has condemned the [Northern Territory Emergency Response](/source/Northern_Territory_National_Emergency_Response), commonly known as the Intervention, and the succeeding [Stronger Futures policy](/source/Stronger_Futures_policy).<ref>{{Cite web |title='Legacy of bad policy': Race-based policies taken off the table |url=https://www.ntnews.com.au/subscribe/news/1/|url-access =subscription |website =NT News }}</ref>

==Politics==
{{NT parlbox header}}
{{NT parlbox|term=13th|start={{NT election link|2016}}|end=2020|party=Australian Labor Party (Northern Territory Branch)|electorate=[Namatjira](/source/Electoral_division_of_Namatjira)}}
{{NT parlbox|term=14th|start={{NT election link|2020}}|end=present|party=Australian Labor Party (Northern Territory Branch)|electorate=[Gwoja](/source/Electoral_division_of_Gwoja)}}
|}
Paech was preselected as the Labor candidate for Namatjira for the [2016 Territory election](/source/2016_Northern_Territory_general_election).  The seat's incumbent since 2005 (dating to when the seat was known as [MacDonnell](/source/electoral_division_of_MacDonnell)), independent [Alison Anderson](/source/Alison_Anderson), was retiring after three terms.  On paper, Paech faced daunting odds. The seat had a notional [Country Liberal Party](/source/Country_Liberal_Party) majority of 20.8 percent, and a redistribution had seemingly consolidated the CLP's hold on the seat by pushing it into Alice Springs.<ref name=Namatjira>{{cite web|title=Electorate: Namatjira|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/elections/nt-election-2016/guide/nama/|website=ABC News|accessdate=28 August 2016}}</ref> However, Anderson, who had served under four banners during her tenure (Labor, CLP, independent, [Palmer United](/source/Palmer_United_Party) and independent again) endorsed Paech as her successor; she is a longtime Indigenous activist, and retained substantial goodwill in the area.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-08-11/clp-facing-uphill-battle-in-bush-electorates/7719222 | title=NT election: CLP facing uphill battle in bush electorates | work=Australian Broadcasting Corporation | date=11 August 2016 | accessdate=12 August 2016 | author=Bardon, Jane}}</ref>  The [ABC](/source/Australian_Broadcasting_Corporation)'s election analyst [Antony Green](/source/Antony_Green) believed that Anderson's endorsement made Namatjira "a certain Labor gain."<ref>[Green, Antony](/source/Antony_Green). [http://www.abc.net.au/news/elections/nt-election-2016/guide/preview/ NT election preview]. [ABC News](/source/ABC_News_(Australia)), 2016-08-08.</ref>

Paech won the seat resoundingly, taking 59 percent of the two-party vote on a swing of over 29 percent, the second-largest swing of the election—enough to revert Namatjira to its traditional status as a safe Labor seat. He was subsequently made Deputy Speaker and Chairman of Committees.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.nt.gov.au/lant/members-of-parliament/List_of_Members.pdf | title=List of Members | accessdate=18 March 2017}}</ref>

Paech is the first openly gay Indigenous MP in Australia.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/allanclarke/meet-out-first-gay-aboriginal-politician | title=Meet The First Gay Aboriginal Politician Elected To An Australian Parliament | work=Buzzfeed | date=5 September 2016 | accessdate=5 September 2016}}</ref>  He gave his [maiden parliamentary speech](/source/maiden_speech) on 19 October 2016, in which he said he entered the chamber "eternally proud of who I am and where I come from ... I am young, I am gay, I am black; a true-blue Territorian. I am a proud face of the diversity and future of the great Australian Labor party."<ref name = maiden />  He added: "I look forward to the day when this country will recognise my rights as equal rights, when I too can marry in my country, on my country, as a recognised first Australian."<ref name = maiden>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/oct/19/i-am-young-i-am-gay-i-am-black-says-chansey-paech-to-nt-parliament |title = 'I am young, I am gay, I am black,' says Chansey Paech to NT parliament|first = Helen|last = Davidson|newspaper = [Guardian Australia](/source/Guardian_Australia)|date = 19 October 2016|accessdate = 20 October 2016}}</ref><ref name=sbsnitv />

In June 2020, Paech was elected [Speaker of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly](/source/Speaker_of_the_Northern_Territory_Legislative_Assembly), making him the first Aboriginal and openly gay speaker of an Australian Parliament,<ref>[https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-25/nt-mla-chansey-paech-elected-first-indigenous-speaker/12387438 Australians first Aboriginal and openly gay speaker of an Australian Parliament]</ref> replacing [Kezia Purick](/source/Kezia_Purick), who resigned after findings of corrupt conduct against her by the Northern Territory Independent Commissioner Against Corruption. Ahead of the [2020 Territory election](/source/2020_Northern_Territory_general_election), a redistribution erased Paech's majority in Namatjira and made it a notional CLP seat. Paech believed this made Namatjira impossible to hold and ran for re-election in neighbouring [Gwoja](/source/electoral_division_of_Gwoja), winning easily.<ref name="speaker">{{cite news |title=Chansey Paech elected first Indigenous Speaker of an Australian Parliament |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-25/nt-mla-chansey-paech-elected-first-indigenous-speaker/12387438 |accessdate=21 July 2020 |work=ABC News |date=24 June 2020 |language=en-AU}}</ref>

He resigned as Speaker in September 2020 to join the [Gunner Ministry](/source/Gunner_Ministry) as Minister for Local Government; Minister for Central Australia Economic Reconstruction; Minister for Remote Housing and Town Camps; Minister for Indigenous Essential Services; and Minister for Arts and Culture.{{citation needed|date=July 2024}}

In May 2022, Paech was sworn in as the Northern Territory Attorney General; Leader of Government Business; Minister for Racing, Gaming and Licensing; Minister for Arts and Culture and Minister for Local Government<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-05-23 |title=Winners and losers as Natasha Fyles reveals her first Northern Territory cabinet |language=en-AU |work=ABC News |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-05-23/northern-territory-fyles-ministry-cabinet/101090576 |access-date=2023-03-07}}</ref> in the [Fyles Ministry.](/source/Fyles_ministry)

Paech is a member of the Labor Party's [Left faction](/source/Labor_Left).{{citation needed|date=July 2024}}

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-par|au-nt}}
{{s-bef
| before = [Alison Anderson](/source/Alison_Anderson)
}}
{{s-ttl
| title = Member for [Namatjira](/source/Electoral_division_of_Namatjira)
| years = 2016–2020
}}
{{s-aft
| after = [Bill Yan](/source/Bill_Yan)
}}
{{s-new|seat
}}
{{s-ttl
| title = Member for [Gwoja](/source/Electoral_division_of_Gwoja)
| years = 2020–present
}}
{{s-inc}}
{{s-bef
| before = [Kezia Purick](/source/Kezia_Purick)
}}
{{s-ttl
| title = [Speaker of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly](/source/Speaker_of_the_Northern_Territory_Legislative_Assembly)
| years = 2020 - 2020
}}
{{s-aft
| after = [Ngaree Ah Kit](/source/Ngaree_Ah_Kit)
}}
{{s-end}}

{{Northern Territory Cabinet}}
{{NTCurrentMPs}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Paech, Chansey}}
Category:Living people
Category:Members of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly
Category:Speakers of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly
Category:Australian Labor Party members of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly
Category:Indigenous Australian politicians
Category:Australian gay politicians
Category:LGBTQ legislators in Australia
Category:21st-century Australian politicians
Category:Charles Darwin University alumni
Category:1987 births
Category:Attorneys-general of the Northern Territory

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Chansey Paech](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chansey_Paech) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chansey_Paech?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.