Federal election NT: One Nation, Australian Citizen Party candidates revealed

Legalising cannabis, giving principals more power to punish students, and wiping out the big-four banks: Here are what some of the NT’s alternative federal election candidates are promising.

A raft of minor and fringe party candidates have emerged in the Territory, offering an alternative to the major parties at the May 3 federal election.

One Nation has announced two political newcomers for the lower house, Sakellarios ‘Charlie’ Bairamis for Lingiari, and Benjamin Craker for Solomon.

Both Mr Bairamis and Mr Craker named crime as a top concern, calling for tougher sentencing and more crime prevention programs such as boot camps to help at-risk youths.

They also singled out the cost of living for placing “enormous strain” on families and small businesses across the NT.

One Nation NT candidates in the 2025 federal election: Sakellarios Bairamis, Benjamin Craker, and Darren Nugent.

Mr Craker, a fly-in fly-out instrument electrician for Inpex’s oil rig, said Australians “should not be struggling to afford the basics when we are one of the most resource-rich nations in the world”.

“We have the coal, gas and minerals to power our own nation affordably, yet we’re paying the price for shortsighted policies,” he said.

Mr Craker also wanted to see more limits on immigration into the country, arguing it would ease pressure on critical infrastructure, housing affordability and the environment.

One Nation’s candidate for the senate is Darren Nugent, a media liaison for the NT Gold Prospectors Association who said he quit his Country Liberal membership after seeing “ordinary Australians being let down by career politicians”.

Mr Nugent said his vision was an overhaul of the NT education system, which would encourage students, teachers and parents to all take responsibility for learning.

He also wanted principals to have more powers to manage discipline issues within their schools.

Mr Nugent said he “believes in restoring the ANZAC spirit – courage, sacrifice and unity – for a better Australia”.

Australian Citizens Party NT candidates in the 2025 federal election: Trudy Campbell, Brian Kristo, Peter Flynn, and Lionel Wylie.

The Australian Citizen Party (formerly Citizens Electoral Council) has also put forward four candidates in the NT, undeterred by decades of very low support at the ballot box.

They are Lionel Wylie and Trudy Campbell for the senate, Brian Kristo for Solomon and Peter Flynn for Lingiari.

The party advocates for Australia to adopt an independent foreign policy separate from traditional allies, to create a publicly owned bank, and to improve integrity in public governance.

Mr Flynn has contested every federal election for the ACP since 1998, and said the party put the “welfare of the people ahead of powerful vested interests”.

“The major parties’ subservience to AUKUS, their military bases and their shortsighted sellout of Australian land and natural resources – much of which is in the electorate of Lingiari – has huge defence implications for us all,” he said.

“We must not only defend our economic sovereignty, but our national sovereignty as well.”

Lance Lawrence, NT Senate candidate for the Legalise Cannabis party.

Jane (Janey) Davies is running as an independent candidate for Solomon. Picture: Supplied.

Legalise Cannabis senate candidate Lance Lawrence is once again running for the senate, fighting to decriminalise the drug which previously landed him behind bars.

Janey Davies has also indicated she will contest Solomon as an independent, standing against gender diversity, threats to free speech, and immigration, and calling for a “Covid bioweapon” inquiry.

Originally published as Federal election NT: One Nation, Australian Citizen Party candidates revealed