Senator Malarndirri McCarthy is expected to replace the retiring Linda Burney as the Minister for Indigenous Australians when Prime Anthony Albanese announces his cabinet reshuffle on Sunday.
The Saltwater woman from the Yanyuwa Garrawa people has remained tight-lipped about her prospects, but the current Assistant Minister for Indigenous Australians has become more prominent in public in recent months, launching a series of publicly funded initiatives in Indigenous health to target closing the gap.
Ms Burney declined to speculate who would replace her, telling Guardian Australia: "It's my place to give them as much support and as much help as possible, and that's what I'll do".
"I know the prime minister will do the right thing," she said.
"The most important thing is that Aboriginal affairs is every minister's responsibility. There are aspects in every portfolio that have an Aboriginal component, and that's the way in which we're operating."
Lingiari MP Marion Scrymgour, herself a former deputy chief minister in the Northern Territory, has ruled herself out of a cabinet position - citing her inexperience in federal parliament and her workload in one of Australia's electorates - but endorsed Ms McCarthy to take over the role.
"I think Malarndirri's earnt the right to be on the front bench," Ms Scrymgour said, as reported by NT News.
"I'm just a newbie in there and have an important job to do in Lingiari and I enjoy the local constituency work.
"I will support whoever the PM decides to put on the front bench but I'm behind Malarndirri getting the Ministry."
Ms McCarthy has been in the Senate since 2016, voted in at the same election as Ms Burney entered federal politics, replacing the retiring Nova Peris, with a higher primary vote.
Before her time in the Senate, she was a member of NT parliament and a journalist.
Initially elected to the NT Legislative Assembly for the seat of Arnhem in 2005, Ms McCarthy won re-election in 2008, serving in the Paul Henderson ministry under several portfolios.
After losing her seat in 2012 in the Labor landslide defeat, Ms McCarthy took up a role as a presenter for NITV and SBS News, having previously worked for the ABC, and then co-establishing Borroloola's first community radio station in 1998.
She has served on a variety of parliamentary committees and in recent times has been the face of many announcements concerning Indigenous health, appearing across the country to give speeches on closing the gap and Indigenous-led health responses.
In her personal life, Ms McCarthy has two adult sons, as well as caring for four other girls, with her husband.
"Hadassah and Nevaeh are the daughters of my cousin – sister. Ebony and Indianna are the daughters of my cousin-brother," she told the Venerable Mary Aikenhead Oration on Thursday night.
"In our way there is no difference. Richard and I are just their parents, or in Yanyuwa language for mum and dad, it is Bunanana and Ardie."
During the speech, Ms McCarthy lauded her "quite extraordinary" colleague Ms Burney, who officially announced her retirement and move to the backbench earlier in the day.
"She has fought the fight with grace and dignity. As the first Indigenous woman to enter NSW parliament and then Federal parliament. She has blazed such a trail. And we all share the responsibility to keep blazing it," she said.
Ms Burney was also warmly praised by her political rival, CLP Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, who said despite differing in their "views of how to best end Indigenous disadvantage," the minister had a burning desire to improve the lives of First Nations people.
"When the day comes that Indigenous Australians have the same life expectations as every other Australian, it will be in part due to Minister Burney's dedication in an area of politics filled with difficult and harrowing realities," Senator Price said.
"An immense personal sacrifice is demanded from anyone who volunteers for a life of service through elected office, but particularly so for Minister Burney who has experienced significant personal tragedy and loss."
