Carol Martin is an Australian politician and the current member for the Western Australian Legislative Assembly

Western Australian Legislative Assembly

The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Perth....

 seat of Kimberley

Electoral district of Kimberley

-External links:* ABC Election Profiles: * WAEC District Maps:...

 for the Australian Labor Party

Australian Labor Party

The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...

, having first been elected to that position in 2001 following the retirement of Ernie Bridge

Ernie Bridge

Ernest Frances "Ernie" Bridge is an Australian politician and country music singer. He was a member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly from 1980 to 2001, representing the electorate of Kimberley, first as an Australian Labor Party representative and then as an independent MP...

. She was the first Aboriginal woman

Indigenous Australians

Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....

 to be elected to any Australian Federal, State or Territory Parliament.

Biography

Martin was born in Perth

Perth, Western Australia

Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....

, Western Australia

Western Australia

Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...

.
Martin completed a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work from Curtin University in 1993 and has worked with many organisations and projects throughout the Kimberley region, particularly as a consultant, counsellor and trainer.
Prior to her election, Martin had been active in the Kimberley community working as a social worker and counsellor. Working in Derby allowed her to take an active role in the local and wider Kimberley community and the struggles, stories and Laws of her people which profoundly influenced her in her daily activities.
Martin has also contributed to the community with her involvement in local government and various organisations. Some of these achievements include being a Shire Councillor for Derby and the West Kimberley, a member of the National Association for Loss and Grief in Western Australia, a member of the Industry Training Advisory Board and a member of the Support Committee for Young Women's Health Wise.
Martin was also responsible for the establishment of EMILY's List

EMILY's List

EMILY's List is a political action committee in the United States that aims to help elect female candidates to office. It was founded by Ellen Malcolm in 1984....

's Partnership for Equity Network, which is aimed at involving more Indigenous women in public life.