Lia Finocchiaro and CLP reeling from week of bad news as election looms
COUNTRY Liberal Party leader Lia Finocchiaro must feel like she’s riding a never-ending rollercoaster.
Northern Territory
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COUNTRY Liberal Party leader Lia Finocchiaro must feel like she’s riding a never-ending rollercoaster.
Just a few months ago the CLP, which was almost wiped out after the August 2016 election, started to turn a corner.
The fresh-faced Finocchiaro took over as leader of the “party of two” in January when Gary Higgins stepped aside.
With Finocchiaro taking over the leadership, it gave the CLP some hope that it could mount a serious challenge at this year’s August election.
Within a month after taking over the top job, the Johnston by-election was the CLP’s first real test of whether or not their brand had been forgiven after the 2016 whitewash.
While their candidate, Josh Thomas, was not seen as strong enough to topple Labor’s Joel Bowden and Territory Alliance had the respected Steven Klose running, the result for the CLP was still disappointing.
Its primary vote took a 15 per cent hit compared to the 2016 general election.
The realisation then kicked in that the CLP’s brand reputation with some in the community was still very much in the gutter.
However, Labor’s primary vote took a 21 per cent hit in the same by-election so the CLP dusted itself off knowing it could still make a charge for August.
Then, only a couple of weeks after the by-election, coronavirus hit.
All of a sudden, the focus of Territorians turned to the health pandemic they were confronted with.
The NT election was the last thing on their minds for at least two months — a crucial period so close to August 22.
As a result, it was impossible for the CLP to get any cut through.
But in recent weeks the honeymoon for Finocchiaro’s rival, Chief Minister Michael Gunner, has ended and the CLP has announced some sound policies.
As focus has switched to Gunner’s handling of the economy and when to reopen the borders, it has again made Labor vulnerable in August.
Finocchiaro has been surprisingly quiet on the borders issue leaving it to business groups and the NT News to apply serious pressure on Gunner to open the borders.
At the same time, Finocchiaro is also battling the view of some in the business community who think she is not ready to lead a new government in troubled times.
Others, however, speak very highly of her abilities.
While rightly critical of Labor’s handling of the economy over the past four years, Finocchiaro and the CLP have yet to effectively articulate how they would have prevented the Territory going into an economic meltdown had they held power in 2016.
Adding to their ongoing issue of hitting roadblocks, some serious new problems have emerged for the CLP in the past week.
Firstly, its candidate in Arafura, Gibson Farmer Illortaminni, was allegedly caught drink driving in Darwin.
It was only last year he pleaded guilty to bringing alcohol into a dry community.
Secondly, the NT News on Saturday revealed its candidate in Goyder, Phil Battye, had been previously convicted for not lodging a tax return for 10 years.
If the CLP endorses a candidate who doesn’t know how to lodge a tax return how can they be trusted to run an economy with a growing multibillion-dollar debt?
Thirdly, CLP Senator Sam McMahon and members of her office are now embroiled in rumours of physical altercations and serious misconduct.
Such a scandal is unsurprising to many — even from CLP supporters — who, for many months, have been privately questioning the toxicity within Senator McMahon’s office.
Former CLP party director Jason Riley, who is despised by some in the party, is her chief-of-staff and he is understood to be at the centre of the allegations.
The three issues are all bad looks for the CLP brand so close to the election.
Finocchiaro knows she’s pushing shit up hill but her focus should now turn to promoting the party’s quality candidates and its policy platform.
Formidable Fannie Bay candidate Tracey Hayes is finding her voice as Opposition Treasury spokeswoman and is making an impact.
Regional mayors Damien Ryan (Araluen) and Steve Edgington (Barkly) are quietly going about their business but all three seats will be extremely tough to win.
Other candidates including Gerard Maley in Nelson, Jo Hersey in Katherine, Marie-Clare Boothby in Brennan, Brian O’Gallagher in Karama and Josh Burgoyne in Braitling seem to have the respect of their communities.
The past few months have proven the CLP has an enormous task ahead of them in August.
Not only are they out to dethrone Labor, arguably their most pressing challenge is dealing with former CLP-now-Territory Alliance leader Terry Mills.
With preferences expected to decide more than half of the 25 seats on polling day, Mills is now effectively the CLP’s secret weapon.
Given how he still feels betrayed when he was rolled as CLP chief minister in 2013, it’s little wonder Mills is reluctant to play the role of “CLP Secret Weapon”.
But as time zeros in on August 22, it is becoming abundantly clear that the CLP and Territory Alliance need to agree on a preference deal.
If they don’t, it is likely their focus will have to turn to August 2024.
For many disgruntled voters in the electorate, they don’t want to wait that long for a change of government.
They want Gunner and Labor gone in August this year.
Originally published as Lia Finocchiaro and CLP reeling from week of bad news as election looms