Background
Kurrupuwu was born in Nguiu on Bathurst Island, the smaller of the two main Tiwi Islands.
- Photos
- Works
- Photos
- Works
Francis Xavier Kurrupuwu
Edit ProfileCareer
He currently represents the Country Liberal Party. He was originally elected for that party, left to sit as an independent in April 2014, briefly joined the Palmer United Party, before returning to the CLP in September 2014. He was named Francis Xavier (after Bishop Francis Xavier Gsell, who had established a Catholic mission on the island in 1911) by Sister Anne Gardiner.
A staunch Catholic, he has worked with the Church for over thirty years, and is also manager of the Australian Red Cross on the islands.
He has also held many local government roles, including President and Deputy Chair of the Nguiu Community Council, a member on the ATSIC regional council, Deputy Chair of the Tiwi Land Council and a councillor in the Tiwi Islands Shire. At the 2012 general election, he defeated former American Federation of Labor-Congress football player Dean Rioli who was the Labor candidate for Arafura—both men are related to former member and football player Maurice Rioli.
In April 2014, Kurrupuwu was one of three indigenous MPs (alongside Alison Anderson and Larisa Lee) who resigned from the Country Liberal Party and sat as independents. In September 2014, Kurrupuwu resigned from PUP and re-joined the Country Liberal Party.
Politics
Kurrupuwu once stood for Labor preselection, but switched sides to the Country Liberals after losing faith in progressive politics, in particular what he called Labor"s "condescending" policies towards Aboriginal people. The three MPs joined Palmer United later that month, with Anderson becoming the party"s parliamentary leader.
Membership
He has been a member of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly since the 2012 territory election.
-
Born
-
Nationality
Australia -
Political Party
Country Liberal Party