One of Australia's most experienced Indigenous politicians has been demoted to the backbench in a reshuffle of the Northern Territory cabinet.
Alison Anderson has held ministerial portfolios under Labor and Country Liberal Party governments and had a brief stint as an Independent.
Chief Minister Adam Giles believes Ms Anderson could make a contribution providing advice on Indigenous policy to the incoming Abbott government while remaining a backbencher in the Northern Territory.
But critics say the demotion highlights ongoing instability within the Territory government which has had two Chief Ministers and five cabinet reshuffles since coming to power last year.
Michael Kenny reports.
Northern Territory Chief Minister Adam Giles made history in March when he became the first Indigenous Australian to lead a government.
But his victory came after he defeated former Chief Minister Terry Mills in a leadership ballot when Mr Mills was on an overseas trip to Japan.
Since coming to power, Mr Giles has clashed with a number of his government ministers, triggering a series of cabinet reshuffles.
Alison Anderson has accused Mr Giles of behaving like a spoilt little boy through his bullying behaviour towards parliamentary colleagues.
She also clashed with Mr Giles over his appointment of a Chief Executive Officer for her Department of Children and Families.
Ms Anderson held four portfolios: Children and Families, Regional Development, Local Government and Womens' Policy.
She has now been stripped of all of them and sent to the backbench.
However Mr Giles believes she could still make an important contribution, particularly in forging closer links between the Northern Territory and the incoming federal government led by Tony Abbott.
"I had a chat with Alison Anderson yesterday afternoon and I suggested that the best way would be if we brought a new minister in and I offered the opportunity to try and work with Alison in any role that she may be able to take up into the future. I had a chat with Tony Abbott yesterday and advised him that there would probably be some portfolio changes. He has got a lot of time for Alison, the same as I do."
Mr Giles says he is unsure whether Ms Anderson would be offered a spot on Mr Abbott's planned Indigenous Advisory Council which will be chaired by former national Labor President Warren Mundine.
Ms Anderson says she has not been approached to serve on the council.
In an interview with Radio 8HA in Alice Springs, Ms Anderson said she was grateful for Mr Abbott's support in her political career.
"I got a text message from him this morning and it was absolutely fantastic to get a text message from the Prime Minister of Australia and I text him back and I wrote 'Thankyou Prime Minister for being concerned about me and I will always make sure that I do the work for the conservatives and the coalition.'"
Ms Anderson's demotion by Mr Giles triggered the promotion of another Indigenous MP, Bess Price.
A talented artist and former bureaucrat, Ms Price has taken on the portfolios of Community Services and Womens' Policy.
She has paid tribute to Alison Anderson, saying she has acted as a mentor.
"I'm so excited to be here with the team and I look forward to working with them and I want to thank Alison Anderson because she encouraged me to step up and think about getting into politics. She wanted me to be here to speak on behalf of our people out in the bush. So I want to thank her for that."
Indigenous activist and former government policy advisor Eileen Cummings unsuccessfully contested the Northern Territory seat of Solomon in last weekend's federal election for the Australian First Nations political party.
She believes Alison Anderson is in touch with the day-to-day concerns of remote communities, but her tendency to shift her political views could be seen as a negative trait.
"She moved from one political party to the next and that can show the Aboriginal community that she is not really settled in any role or any party. So how can she benefit us as Indigenous people out in the wider community?"
Dr Ken Parish specialises in Northern Territory politics at Charles Darwin University.
He says Alison Anderson and Bess Price have helped to win over votes for the Country Liberal Party in remote Indigenous communities which were traditionally a stronghold for Labor.
Dr Parish believes Ms Anderson could have a long political career ahead of her, despite the latest setback.
"She is a resilient feature of public life in the Northern Territory and she will certainly live again, whether it's under Tony Abbott's sponsorship or elsewhere is yet to be seen."
