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Our Ministers



Minister for Local Government

knight

The Hon. Robert Knight, MLA

Contact:
GPO Box 3146,
Darwin, NT 0801
Telephone: (08) 8901 4092
Facsimile: (08) 8901 4094
Email: rob.knight@nt.gov.au
Website

 

Minister for Housing

Image of Minister Kon Vatskalis

Mr Kon Vatskalis, MLA

Biography

Minister for Business and Economic Development
Minister for Tourism
Minister for Housing
Minister for Asian Relations
Minister for Regional Development
Minister for Defence Support
Minister for Essential Services

Born

Argostoli, Kefallonia, Greece, 4.4.1957

Educated

Primary & secondary schooling, Greece;

  • 1976 - 78 Tertiary Vocational Education, (Public Health) Greece;
  • 1978 - 81  Conscripted to Hellenic Air Force;
  • 1983  Immigrated to Australia;
  • 1983 - 85  Bachelor Degree in Environmental Health, Western Australian Institute of Technology , WA;
  • 1986 - 89  Grad. Dip. Environmental Science, Murdoch University, WA;
  • 1995 - 97  Certificate in Public Sector Management, Flinders University, SA;
  • 1999   Masters in Public Health, Curtin University, WA (incomplete).

Married

Margaret (1989);

Children

Alexander (B. 1989); Michael (b 1994)

Work history

  • 1981 – 83 Hospitality Industry, Greece;
  • 1983   Emigrated to Perth, Australia;
  • 1986 – 88,  Environmental Health Officer, City of Wanneroo, WA;
  • 1988 – 90,  Senior Environmental Health Officer, City of Wanneroo;
  • 1990 – 93,  Principal Environmental Health Officer, Port Hedland Shire Council, WA;
  • 1993 – 99,  Manager, Environmental Health Section, Department of Health & Community Services, Darwin;
  • 1999 – 2001, Director Clinical Services, Danila Dilba Health Service, Darwin;
  • 2001,  elected as MLA for Casuarina and becomes part of the first Labor Government in the Northern Territory;
  • 2005,  re-elected as MLA for Casuarina.

Interests, hobbies, activities

Kon is accredited with the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI) and till his election as an MLA had  worked for the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs in WA and the Office of Ethnic Affairs in the NT as an interpreter.

  • 1993 – 94  taught Greek at Darwin’s Greek School;
  • 1994   Kon enlisted  in the RAAF Reserve as an Environmental Health Officer and served with the rank of Flight Lieutenant till 1999;
  • 1994 – 96,  Member of the Governing Council of  the Greek Orthodox Community of Northern Australia;
  • 1993 – 99,  Produced and presented Greek program on 8TOP FM;
  • 1993 – 2001  reporter for the SBS radio Greek programs;
  • 1996 – 2001  coach, Mindil Aces junior soccer team.

Kon’s present interests include reading, history, travel, including camping with his family. He maintains an interest in the preservation of all local aspects of Greek culture and traditions.

Contact:
GPO Box 3146
Darwin NT 0801
Telephone: 08 8901 4118
Facsimile: 08 8901 4119
Email: kon.vatskalis@nt.gov.au
Website

 

Minister for Sport and Recreation

Image of Minister Mathew Bonson, MLA

 Mr Matthew Bonson, MLA

Ministerial Profile

Personal

  • Matthew was born in Darwin in 1971 at the old Darwin Hospital.
  • His ancestry includes Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, Malaysian, Samoan, Welsh and Irish.
  • He is married to school teacher Mona Lisa, who is of Filipino-German heritage.
  • Their son Matteo was born in March 2006.
  • Matthew attended Stuart Park and Rapid CreekPrimary Schools and Nightcliff High. He went on to study law in the University of Western Australia.
  • He returned to Darwin to finish his degree at NT University (now known as Charles Darwin University), after missing Darwin and its great lifestyle!
  • As a solicitor Matthew worked at NT Legal Aid on criminal, family and civil law matters for two and a half years.
  • Matthew has always been involved in community activities having major interests involving youth development, law, education and sport.
  • He has been a player, coach, volunteer and committee member of Australian football, rugby league and basketball, soccer and touch rugby.

NT Government

  • Matthew was pre-selected to run for the marginal CLP seat of Millner in the lead up to the 2001 NT election.
  • He resigned from NT Legal Aid, and undertook a vigorous campaign, which saw him win the seat with a 9% swing to Labor.
  • Matthew’s win was critical to helping Clare Martin form the Territory’s first Labor Government and ending 26 years of CLP administration in the Northern Territory.
  • During his years as an MLA Matthew has been a member of several Parliamentary Committees, including Environment and Sustainable Development, Sport and Youth, and also held the positions of Government Whip and Deputy Chairman of Committees.
  • In 2005 Matthew Bonson was re-elected to his seat of Millner, this time with a massive 23% swing.
  • In December 2007 Matthew was elevated to the front-bench of the new Henderson Labor Government.
  • Matthew currently holds the Sport and Recreation, Youth, Seniors and Minister Assisting in Multicultural Affairs portfolios.
  • Matthew is a firm believer that sport is a vital part of the social and cultural fabric of the Territory.
  • His priorities as Sports Minister are to continue to the Labor Government’s history of attracting world-class sporting events to the Territory, while also supporting grass roots sporting organisations.
  • Matthew believes that the most important thing is to increase participation in any kind of sport and recreation activity – it’s about getting out there and interacting with your community.

Contact:
GPO Box 3146
Darwin NT 0801
Telephone: 08 8901 4072
Facsimile: 08 8901 4080
Email: matthew.bonson@nt.gov.au
Website