He admits that he was shattered after Labor’s loss in the 2012 Northern Territory election – not so much at the defeat, but the fact that it came from what had traditionally been the ALP’s heartland: the Indigenous-dominated so-called bush seats. 

“Why we lost is complex. Maybe I was at fault; maybe it was my hubris. Or maybe you should ask the Labor Members of the Legislative Assembly who lost their bush seats. 

“It was very painful. I led the election campaign and now many people had lost their jobs. I felt responsible. I felt that very acutely.” 

Hendo, as he is known, has long since moved on in his life and is now managing partner of Bespoke Territory, a successful advisory service that helps projects big and not so big navigate the often-complicated procedures of doing business in the NT. 

“We don’t sit down with politicians,” he says. “Instead, we help business people understand what is required by way of government and community approvals and how to engage with stakeholders, whether they are local communities, Indigenous people and organisations or other companies. 

“The Territory is still a small place and we know a lot of people; we can help business people work with stakeholders and avoid any misunderstandings.” 

Hendo says developing the Territory is close to his heart. 

“We’ve only got 250,000 people. We need investment and new industries. Not everybody can work for the public service. 

“I was keen to contribute back to the Territory post-politics.” 

He approached to become the Chancellor of Charles Darwin University in March 2019 – and says he was honored to accept and has enjoyed helping steer the CDU through difficult financial times, recruit an “exceptional” Vice Chancellor in Scott Bowman and help the university secure the new CBD city campus, which will establish Darwin as a “university city”. 

Hendo has made the Territory a better place in two massive ways: by helping bring the multibillion-dollar Inpex LNG project to Darwin and by getting the Federal Government to fund the Alan Walker Cancer Centre. 

“Hundreds of Territorians now have good, well-paid jobs because of their work with Inpex. And many, many businesses have done well because of contracts with Inpex.” 

He praises the team that worked ferociously hard to win the project. 

Persuading the Japanese company to make the biggest investment outside of Japan in history in the Territory, rather than first choice Western Australia, was one of the greatest heists in Australian history. 

It was lauded as a masterstroke in the NT, but condemned as robbery in WA. 

Inpex brought great wealth to the Territory – and continues to do so – but Hendo says he got as much satisfaction, and maybe more, out of persuading Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to fund the Alan Walker cancer centre. 

“I told Kevin that Territorians had to go interstate for cancer treatment, often apart from their families when they needed support most. He agreed that was outrageous – and immediately agreed to fund it. That made a big difference to people’s lives.” 

He praises troubleshooter Paul Tyrrell and the public service team for their sterling work on the project. 

Paul Raymond Henderson was born on an United States naval base in France where his Australian dad Ray worked as a marine surveyor after having fought in the Pacific during the Second World War. 

Hendo took his father’s citizenship rather than that of his English-born mother Jo. 

The family moved to Britain for work in 1966 and settled near Southampton on the south coast. 

“I always considered myself Australian. My nickname at school was Oz. I barracked for Australia during the Ashes and gave it to my mates when we won.” 

He remembers trying to sabotage fox hunts on Saturday mornings and then going to cheer on Southampton in the football league in the afternoon – he still supports everything “saintly”, such as St Kilda and Saint Marys Australian Rules football teams. 

Paul didn’t set foot in Australia until he completed an apprenticeship as a marine diesel fitter. 

“My apprentice wages in Britain weren’t very good, so I pulled pints in a working men’s club every Friday and Saturday night until I had saved enough to buy a flight to Melbourne.” 

He spent the first couple of years in Australia working on mine sites, often underground. 

Hendo was enduring the cold and dampness of Tasmania when he watched the weather report on the telly – it was 32 degrees and sunny in Darwin. As always. 

He grabbed his bag of tools, jumped on a Greyhound bus in Melbourne and two days later arrived in Darwin. 

It was 1983 and one of the first things he did was celebrate his 21st birthday. 

After two years working as a tradie, including a spell at the Mudginberri abattoir, Hendo decided to get into the emerging IT industry.

“I found the name of the public servant who was in charge of computer jobs and knocked on his door every couple of weeks for months. Eventually, he gave me a job as a trainee computer operator. I don’t know if he was rewarding me for my persistence or just felt sorry for me.”

He swiftly worked his way up to a management role, first in the NT Government data centre and then the Health Department.

Hendo met his wife-to-be Stacey in 1987.

“I landed a big prize when we got together. Stacey was a trainee computer programmer – much smarter than me.”

They have three children – Alasdair, Liam and Isabel – who were all born in the Territory.

Hendo joined the Labor Party in the same year – because he saw it as the party of working people – and seven years later in 1994 stood against former Chief Minister Steve Hatton in Nightcliff.

“I knew I would have to have three attempts at getting into Parliament before I succeeded.”

He stood in Nightcliff again in 1997 and came close to an upset victory. Hendo contested Wanguri in a by-election in 1999 and won.

Two years later, Clare Martin became the first woman elected to the premiership or chief ministership of a state or territory in Australian history when she led the ALP to victory in the NT for the first time.

Clare made Hendo the “Minister for Everything”, including Mines, Business and Primary Industry.

“I loved my portfolio. I was interested in the economic side of politics. A lot of Labor people get involved in politics because they are passionate about social causes. But I was interested in how economics could deliver better things for working people, helping people live good lives and raise their families with access to good community services and opportunities for their kids.”

Ms Martin resigned in 2007 and Hendo was elected Chief Minister unanimously by the Labor caucus and led the Labor government to a narrow third term win in 2008.

He was to hold the job for five years until that bruising, unexpected defeat in 2012.

Hendo has gone down in Territory history not just as the pollie who brought us Inpex and the cancer centre, but also as a humble, decent family man who has never forgotten where he came from.