SEATS IN FOCUS: Wanguri’s three-decade love affair with NT Labor likely extended post-election
NT Labor has held the seat of Wanguri, in Darwin’s northern suburbs, since the year the Berlin Wall fell and the B-52’s released their comeback hit Love Shack — and this is unlikely to change.
Northern Territory
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NT Labor has held the seat of Wanguri, in Darwin’s northern suburbs, since the year the Berlin Wall fell and the B-52’s released their comeback hit Love Shack — and this is unlikely to change.
After winning eight general elections and three by-elections, NT Labor’s margin in Wanguri stands at nearly 20 per cent, making it the third-safest seat for the governing party.
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Territory Alliance picks Michael Best for Wanguri and George Laughton for Arafura
Political analyst and former NT Labor MLA-turned-Territory Alliance member Ken Parish expects Nicole Manison to hold the seat in the absence of any high-profile competitors — and despite her role in steering the NT’s disaster-level finances as Treasurer.
On Wednesday, Ms Manison will release the NT’s economic and fiscal outlook, a mini-budget of sorts that is expected to be “grim”.
Voters in Wanguri, especially those in wealthier suburbs, are hurting financially due to the pandemic. JobSeeker data shows that in Leanyer alone the number of people on the dole spiked from 82 in March to 211 in June.
“It’s been a Labor seat for quite some time now; she’s got a high-profile,” Mr Parish said.
“And as I’ve said before, the Gunner government has, to some extent, retrieved its fortunes by competently managing its coronavirus response.
“Whereas before the pandemic they were generally perceived to not be competent.”
“Quite some time” is specifically 31 years, with NT Labor winning the seat via John Bailey in 1989 during the by-election sparked by Don Dale’s resignation.
Ms Manison has been in the seat since 2013, after retaining Wanguri for NT Labor during the 2013 by-election sparked by the resignation of former chief minister Paul Henderson, who himself came into the seat by holding it for the party during the 1999 by-election.
Ms Manison’s competitors in Wanguri so far are CLP’s Jed Hansen and Territory Alliance’s finance guru and punk rocker Michael Best.
While the results in Wanguri have been largely predictable for decades, the 2016 election made the seat one to watch. Independent candidate Shauna Mounsey produced a catchy ditty to attract attention to the campaign. The song, titled New Beginning, went viral.
It is unknown if the voters of Wanguri will be graced with another jingle this election, although the potential exists in Territory Alliance’s Mr Best, who plays guitar for his punk rock and blues band 21 Degrees South.
CANDIDATES:
NAME: Nicole Manison
PARTY: NT Labor
WHY PEOPLE SHOULD VOTE FOR YOU: Nicole is a proud local who grew up in the electorate and still lives here with her husband Scott and young children Aiden, Grace and Chloe. She attended local schools Holy Spirit, Dripstone and Casuarina Senior College and has been the MLA since 2013. She has driven significant investment into the electorate including upgrades to the Leanyer Sewage Ponds, major improvements to all local schools and local infrastructure including the new bike path to Lee Point Beach and local playgrounds. Supporting local business and building the economy is a top priority for Nicole as well as investing in health, schools, community safety and making sure we continue to have the best lifestyle and great opportunities for everyone. She loves holding her regular community events, doorknocking and supporting all the wonderful people in the electorate.
NAME: Jed Hansen
PARTY: CLP
WHY PEOPLE SHOULD VOTE FOR YOU: I am passionate and motivated about delivering innovative solutions that benefit all Territorians. We must have the experience and ability to drive business and investment here in the Northern Territory. We need to ensure everyone feels safe in their homes and protected in our community. I will be part of a government who has a clear path forward and who is committed to working for all Territorians. I want everyone to see, what I see, that the Northern Territory is the place of opportunity.
NAME: Michael Best
PARTY: Territory Alliance
WHY PEOPLE SHOULD VOTE FOR YOU: Given the fragile state of politics in the Territory I feel now is the time for change to be possible. I trust that my thoughts reflect upon the voting masses. I am however, very despondent with the current state of both parties. Private enterprise is the beating heart of any successful economy. I feel that this entire sector has been overlooked for the past eight years. I feel that I have the energy and passion for such a task. I have two children aged 12 and 15. I would like to do whatever is possible to provide a future for them and all Territorians, especially the next generation. I feel that they are actually the forgotten-about generation and we can’t burden them with debt that they do not deserve. We need to stand up and change this outlook. I trust that I am not alone.
HISTORY
CREATED in 1983, Wanguri is an urban electorate in Darwin’s north. It will be the most populous electorate in the Northern Territory this election, with 6055 registered voters as of May.
The seat is named after the suburb of Wanguri, which in turn is named after an Aboriginal tribal group.
The suburb of Wanguri was built before Cyclone Tracy in 1974. A James Cook University study a year after the event revealed Wanguri, due to its location in the far northern part of the city, suffered “by far the worst damage” with destruction “close to 100 per cent”.
AREA/SUBURBS
This division includes the Darwin northern suburbs of Buffalo Creek, Holmes, Leanyer, Muirhead and Wanguri.
2016 RESULTS
Two-party preferred:
NT Labor 69.9 per cent
CLP 30.1 per cent
Electorate redistribution not expected to budge swing at all, according to ABC election analyst Antony Green.
PREVIOUS MEMBERS
Don Dale, CLP, 1983-89
John Bailey, NT Labor,
1989-99
Paul Henderson, NT Labor, 1999-2013
Nicole Manison, NT Labor, 2013- present
Originally published as SEATS IN FOCUS: Wanguri’s three-decade love affair with NT Labor likely extended post-election