Karl Hampton

2023 Cohort

Karl is rebuilding his nation and community after decades of government interventions, empowering them to reclaim self determination and to maintain strong culture.

Karl is a former Member of Parliament in the Northern Territory and a Warlpiri/Ngulakan/Mara/man born in Alice Springs and has a large extended family network stretching across the Northern Territory.

Karl attended secondary boarding school in Adelaide at Immanuel College (1981-1985) and has completed an Associate Diploma of Arts (Aboriginal Studies) through the University of South Australia (1990) and was an Atlantic Fellow in 2023.

Karl is an active community member of Alice Springs and is a former Chairperson of the Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association (CAAMA), and a former Board member of Imparja Television.

Karl has previously worked in the Commonwealth Public Service (1989-1999) and Aboriginal Organisations (Tangentyere Council, the Central Land Council and Ngurratjuta Aboriginal Corporation in Alice Springs) as well as in the Mining Sector.

Karl’s involvement in Politics spans over 11 years both as a political adviser and a Member of Parliament. Karl was the Member for Stuart (a large bush/regional seat) in the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly from September 2006 to August 2012 and a Minister in the Henderson Labor Government from 2008 to 2012.

Karl has worked is a Warlpiri cultural practitioner, researcher and historian.

“I aspire to rebuild my Warlpiri nation and reclaim our self determination.”

Social change work

Establishing a Warlpiri Yuendumu cultural authority and continuing work in the repatriation field with elders and young leaders. Also, a vision of building a culture centre at Yuendumu.