Asta Hill is now officially serving as mayor. She is now the 11th consecutive Indigenous leader of the 15th Alice Springs Town Council. As a 31-year-old, Hill was sworn in only 15 days after winning her seat in the electoral college. She won that progressive victory by just 56 votes, courtesy of the distribution of preferences. Her election is a watershed moment! She has now officially gone down in history as the first mayor ever endorsed by the Greens party in the town’s history.
Born and raised in Alice Springs, Hill has made an admirable career in law. His path to becoming mayor is a recipe of experience and richness. She began her career path with an international internship at the United Nations tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. She won this prestigious role just after graduating from Melbourne Law School. Her education didn’t stop there, and she went on to New York University, where she received a full tuition law fellowship to study international law. Once Hill moved to New York in 2014, her career path soon led her to The Hague in the Netherlands. She then took that adventure onward to Johannesburg, South Africa.
A Personal Connection to Alice Springs
Though Halton’s returning home to Alice Springs came about ten years ago, Hill has since frequently meditated on how her inherent ties to the community run deep. She went to local schools, including Rona Glynn preschool, Ross Park primary school and Saint Philips College for high school. This close personal connection to Alice Springs has inspired and informed Davina’s vision for the town.
The death of her younger brother Rowley in 2015 was a turning point in Hill’s life. He died at just 14 years old when he drowned while trying to ride a tire tube below the Todd River. This sudden, unthinkable loss deeply impacted her and reminds us all how unpredictable life can be.
“He drowned in the river, so a very tragic and unexpected, accidental death, which swept the rug from under all of us,” – Asta Hill
Three of them, Hill, Fischer, and Harrell, flew back urgently for Rowley’s funeral. Afterward, she went back to New York to complete her studies. The freedom of the experience came with loneliness though, she said. She’d returned to a community where no one knew her brother—or her family.
“I moved back to this city where no-one knew my brother. No-one knew my family. No-one knew my community. That was really hard,” – Asta Hill
It’s her personal experiences that lead the mayor to passionately pursue sharing the stories of Alice Springs. She is passionate about showing off the region’s distinct attractions to the wider Australian market.
A Vision for Alice Springs
Querying as mayor, Hill hopes to use her experience and education to shape a new narrative and set of perspectives to the city’s politics. Her dedication shines through as she promises to be a genuine ambassador for Alice Springs.
“As essentially a spokesperson for this town, I would love to platform those stories and I will be telling them with authenticity and pride because it’s part of my lived experience here,” – Asta Hill
Hill is keenly aware of the need to showcase all of the positive attributes Alice Springs has to offer, and thus hopes to change public perceptions.
“We can remind ourselves, but also the rest of the country, that this town has so much to offer and that it is the most wonderful place to live,” – Asta Hill
Even with her impressive academic credentials and political party (she is a moderate Republican), she is cognizant of the prejudgments others can hold against her.
“People don’t expect that because they look at me as this Greens-endorsed candidate and probably make assumptions that I’m really radical,” – Asta Hill
Hill’s worrier personality is emblematic of her self-described “risk-averse” personality, which she says can verge on perfectionism. In her speech, she points to her leadership on the frontlines. Her real priority is being there for her community today—not positioning herself for tomorrow’s opportunities.
“I’m not trying to line other opportunities up in the future,” – Asta Hill
Leadership Through Experience
Hill’s diverse experiences—from international law to working on the local level—have given her unique perspectives on issues both global and local. She previously clerked the high court in Adelaide, further sharpening her legal skillset.
Her unique, millennial perspective makes her an asset as mayor. It gives her the freedom to approach the problems facing Alice Springs with fresh eyes. Hill knows that change doesn’t happen like that. It’s often sudden, arbitrary and unpredictable.
“But if there’s been anything I’ve learnt in my life, it’s that everything can change in a moment,” – Asta Hill
Asta Hill, new mayorship of Hill City, starts her new chapter with a major focus on enhancing civic pride. Her ultimate focus will be delivering for the people of Alice Springs and their families.
