Yingiya Mark Guyula
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Yingiya Mark Guyula MLA |
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| Member of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly for Nhulunbuy |
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Assumed office 27 August 2016 |
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| Preceded by | Lynne Walker |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Mirrngadja, Northern Territory, Australia |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Political party | Independent |
| Website | http://www.yingiya.net |
Yingiya Mark Guyula is an Australian politician. He is an independent member of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly, and was elected at the 2016 Territory election, where he narrowly defeated the Labor member for Nhulunbuy and Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Lynne Walker.
Guyula was born and raised in Mirrngadja, and went to school at Galiwinku. His people are the Liya-dhälinymirr Djambarrpuyŋu of Arnhem Land. He worked in aviation as an aircraft mechanic, and gained his private pilot licence. He also worked as a senior lecturer at Charles Darwin University in its Yolŋu Studies program.
Guyula is an elder and spokesperson of the Yolŋu Nations Assembly, which endorsed his candidacy for the 2016 election. He has campaigned for a treaty between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians, in preference to the proposal for recognition of indigenous Australians in the Constitution of Australia.
As returns came in on election night, Guyula gradually closed the gap with Walker, and eventually took a narrow lead. After a recount, he won by eight votes. His victory came as a major upset, especially given Labor's landslide victory at that election; Walker would have become Deputy Chief Minister had she retained her seat.
Shortly after the election, Guyula attracted criticism from the new Chief Minister, Michael Gunner after he claimed with regards to domestic violence that "A lot of the time, women start the fighting and men end up in jail"
Shortly before being sworn into parliament, it was claimed that Guyula was a member of the Milingimbi Local Authority, and thus could be ineligible to run for parliament. The matter was referred to the Court of Disputed Returns. The court dismissed the case on 1 December 2016, after reaching an agreement with the Northern Territory Electoral Commission.
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