Clare Martin

Clare Majella Martin (born 15 June 1952) is a former Australian politician. She is the current CEO of the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS). A former journalist, she was elected to the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly in a shock by-election win in 1995. She was appointed Opposition Leader in 1999, and won a surprise victory at the 2001 territory election, becoming the first Australian Labor Party and first female Chief Minister ... more

Clare Majella Martin (born 15 June 1952) is a former Australian politician. She is the current CEO of the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS). A former journalist, she was elected to the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly in a shock by-election win in 1995. She was appointed Opposition Leader in 1999, and won a surprise victory at the 2001 territory election, becoming the first Australian Labor Party and first female Chief Minister of the Northern Territory. She led the ALP to a record win at the 2005 election, before resigning as Chief Minister on 26 November 2007. Martin was one of ten children. Her parents were strong Catholics and passionate Democratic Labor Party supporters. Her uncle, Kevin Cairns, was a Liberal minister and MP in the McMahon government, but the family was not inclined towards his conservative politics. Martin's ancestry includes the Coughlin family which also had NSW's first female statistician and Australia's famous batsmen Victor Trumper. The... less