Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Wyatt first Aboriginal MP for Australia

Updated at 3:31 pm on 30 August 2010

An Aboriginal man has won a seat in Australia's House of Representatives, becoming the first indigenous person to do so.

Ken Wyatt took the seat of Hasluck in Western Australia for the centre-right Liberal Party.

Mr Wyatt says voters did not choose him because he is Aboriginal, but because they believe he will represent the interests of everyone within Hasluck.

Two Aborigines have served in the upper house Senate, including Neville Bonner.

Neither the Liberals nor the Labor Party gained enough seats at last week's election for a majority.

Negotiations between the two main parties and the independents who hold the balance of power are continuing.

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