Paul Henderson (Australian politician)

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Paul Henderson

Incumbent
Assumed office 
26 November 2007
Preceded by Clare Martin
Constituency Wanguri

Born 15 August 1962 (1962-08-15) (age 47)
Croix-Chapeau, France
Nationality Australia Australian
Political party Australian Labor Party
Spouse(s) Stacey Henderson
Profession Machinist

Paul Raymond Henderson (born 15 August 1962)[1] is an Australian politician and the current Chief Minister of the Northern Territory.

Henderson was born in Croix-Chapeau, France, where his father was serving with the United States military. He was educated in the United Kingdom to A-Levels and studied mechanical engineering through the City and Guilds of London Institute. He worked as an apprentice marine fitter in Southhampton before emigrating to Australia in 1982, where he worked as an underground fitter at the zinc mines in Rosebery, Tasmania. He moved to Darwin in the Northern Territory in 1983, working as a marine fitter.[2] In 1985 he began working for the Northern Territory government as a computer operator, was self-employed as a computer analyst in the UK from 1991 to 1992 and returned to work for the Northern Territory government in 1993.

Henderson was elected to the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly in an August 1999 by-election for the Australian Labor Party (ALP), representing the electorate of Wanguri when the previous member, John Bailey, resigned.[3]

He held the following ministries: Minister for Employment, Education and Training; Minister for Tourism; Minister for Public Employment; and Minister for Multicultural Affairs, until he became Chief Minister of the Northern Territory after the sudden resignation of Clare Martin on 26 November 2007.[4]

The Henderson-led ALP retained government at the 2008 territory election, with 13 of 25 seats, a one-seat majority.

In August 2009, Labor MLA Alison Anderson resigned from the ALP after a disagreement with Henderson's government over housing in remote indigenous areas. The opposition Country Liberal Party moved a motion of no-confidence against Henderson, which was defeated by one vote after Henderson reached an agreement with Independent MLA Gerry Wood to support his government.[5]

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Political offices
Preceded by
Clare Martin
Chief Minister of the Northern Territory
2007–present
Incumbent
Preceded by
John Bailey
Member for Wanguri
1999–present
Incumbent
Languages