Mark Turner turns to crowd-funding for NT 2024 election campaign
Blain MLA Mark Turner has launched a crowd funding effort for his re-election campaign, prompting his former party to run to the umpire to check it’s all above board.
Northern Territory
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Independent MLA Mark Turner has turned to the public to raise funds for his election campaign ahead of the August polls, drawing scrutiny from his former party who put the fundraiser before the election watchdog.
In just under a week Mr Turner had raised almost $5000, thanks in large part to $2000 donated by NT builders Killarney Homes.
Total donations are capped at $46,500 and the fundraiser is hosted at lesser-known site chuffed.org in order to meet political donation criteria set by the Northern Territory Electoral Commission – decisions made all the more necessary after at least one complaint was lodged with the NTEC within hours of the fundraiser being launched.
A spokeswoman could not disclose who made the complaint, but said it was investigated with no action required.
Territory Labor said it did not lodge any complaint, but admitted to “seeking clarification” on the operation of the NT Electoral Act from the NTEC.
Country Liberal President Shane Stone said he was not aware of the crowdfund attempt, nor of any CLP members raising concerns.
Mr Turner was elected as a Labor candidate in 2020, but was ousted from the party caucus six months later amid a political firestorm involving what he described as a “consensual but inappropriate” relationship with a woman.
Mr Turner self-referred to the ICAC over the matter and was subsequently cleared of any wrongdoing by the office and NT Police.
He was expelled from the party altogether mid-last year, and will recontest as an independent.
Mr Turner said he had no personal relationship with Killarney Homes and felt “humbled” by their donation.
Killarney Homes is owned and run by the Moriarty family, longstanding Territorians previously linked with Labor.
Andrea Moriarty, the ex-wife of former party president Matthew Gardiner, was a frontrunner for preselection in Fong-Lim in 2020, before being passed over for now Education Minister Mark Monaghan.
She lost again to union boss Shlok Sharma this year, who was preselected for Wanguri.
Mr Turner said he needed public support because he did not “have the deep pockets of the major parties”.
“When I first stepped into politics, I did it because I believed our community deserved a voice,” he says in the fundraiser blurb.
“I wasn’t happy with the complete lack of interest in us and in our community.
“At the time, I thought the Labor Party were the right people that would help do that. Wow, was that a let down.
“Fast forward to my first parliament sittings, and I was told to sit down, shut up, and do as I was told.
“I won’t back down from a fight, and I’m hoping you’ll back me in for another four years so I can see these fights out and try and keep the parties focused on us rather than themselves.
“They can’t cancel me — they’ve already tried!”
It is likely Mr Turner and Labor will have to cut a preference deal if either hopes to win Blain at the upcoming election.
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Originally published as Mark Turner turns to crowd-funding for NT 2024 election campaign
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