Born and educated in Sydney, Tom Pauling moved to the Northern Territory in 1970. Pauling was the Northern Territory's Solicitors-General from 1988 to 2007 and Administrator of the Northern Territory from 2007 to 2011. He has participated in several land claims and Native Title claims.
In addition, he was heavily involved in the arts scene in Darwin, particularly with Brown's Mart Theatre, lobbying for the survival of its building and for the establishment of Brown's Mart (formerly a police headquarters) to an arts venue in 1972. As an actor or director, he was involced in over thirty theatre productions at Brown's Mart Theatre.
He was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2008 for significant services to the Northern Territory.
