"I am young, I am gay, I am black; a true blue Territorian."
Those were the words uttered by the newly elected member for Namatjira Chansey Paech in a stirring first speech at the opening of the new Northern Territory parliament.
Australia's first openly gay, Indigenous politician said he was the face of the diversity in the Top End.
"I am eternally proud of who I am and where I come from, I own it and wear it with pride," Mr Paech told parliament on Tuesday.
"I am a Centralian man. I am the son of a proud Aboriginal woman and a man who was a proud product of multiculturalism, a German immigrant."
The 28-year-old from Alice Springs used his speech to support same-sex marriage and the constitutional recognition of Indigenous people.
"I look forward to the day when this country will recognise my rights as equal rights, when I too can marry in my country, on my country, as a recognised first Australian," he said.
The MP won the massive Territory seat, which includes Uluru, in Labor's landslide NT election victory in August.
Mr Paech wants to advocate for young indigenous LGBT people living in his remote electorate and same-sex adoption reforms.
He's also vowed to push for better roads in the bush and improvements to housing, health and education in Indigenous communities.
Mr Paech's predecessor, independent Alison Anderson, retired from politics this year after more than a decade in office.
