NT Election 2024: School principal Nick Lovering selected as Labor candidate for Katherine

Labor has revealed their candidate for the Katherine seat, who brings extensive experience as an educator and leader. Read who it is.

Chief Minister Eva Lawler and the Territory Labor candidate for Katherine Nick Lovering. Picture: Supplied.

Katherine High School principal and local community leader Nick Lovering has been selected by Territory Labor as the party’s candidate for Katherine.

Mr Lovering has been a leader in schools in the Big Rivers Region for 14 years and has worked in education for almost 25 years.

Appointed as Katherine High School Principal three years ago, the school is now on track to have one its largest ever graduating cohorts later this year.

Mr Lovering was last year recognised by The Educator magazine as one of the most influential educators in Australia.

Also a keen footy fan, in 2017 Mr Lovering resurrected the Katherine South Football Club, which has gone on to win three premierships in the local football competition.

Mr Lovering and his wife Sally – herself a school principal – have four children, and have lived in the Katherine region for more than a decade.

Nick Lovering will contest the seat of Katherine in August. Aaron Francis / The Australian

“I promise to fight for Katherine to get what it needs every single day because I know how important it is to work hard to make our community better,” he said.

“Katherine deserves someone who knows how to work with the community to get results, instead of constantly talking our town and community down.”

Chief Minister Eva Lawler said Mr Lovering’s track record showed his ability to deliver positive results and build real connections in the community.

“Nick will fight for Katherine’s fair share and that’s why I want him on my team,” she said.

“Katherine is such an important town for the Territory and it needs a local member who will spend every day fighting for positive results instead of just talking the town down.

“Nick is an outstanding teacher, principal and community leader and Katherine deserves a hardworking local like him to deliver real outcomes for the town.”

The seat of Katherine has historically been a safe conservative seat, held by the Country Liberal Party bar for a single term of Labor’s Sandra Nelson in 2016.

Incumbent Jo Hersey lost the popular vote in 2020, but won on preferences with a 52.5 per cent to 47.5 per cent two party preferred margin.

Originally published as NT Election 2024: School principal Nick Lovering selected as Labor candidate for Katherine