NT politics: Mobile voting teams start travelling Top End ahead of Arafura by-election
Only nine in 10 eligible Arafura residents are enrolled to vote, while we reveal the seat’s colourful political history.
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About 90 per cent of Arafura voters are enrolled to cast a vote in the upcoming by-election, however this sits notably lower than the national enrolment rate.
There are 5563 enrolled voters in the electorate, out of an eligible 6156 according to the latest Census data.
The seat’s nine in 10 enrolment rate compares to 97 per cent nationally.
All three parties vying to take the Top End seat on March 18 will be aiming to see participation increase.
SCROLL for everything you need to know on the Arafura by-election.
NT Electoral Commission teams are travelling throughout the vast electorate in the two weeks ahead of the final polling day, visiting communities including Gunbalanya, Jabiru, Maningrida, Milikapiti, Minjilang, Pirlangimpi, Warruwi and Wurrumiyanga.
With dozens of voting opportunities on the schedule, electoral teams will be signing unenrolled voters up as they cast a vote for their preferred local member.
Arafura covers 57,000sq km of some of the Territory’s most remote areas across the Tiwi Islands and West Arnhem Land.
The by-election comes after a national push to increase Indigenous enrolment.
In September last year, Australian Electoral Commission teams travelled to the Tiwi Islands, among many other Aboriginal communities, in a bid to boost voter engagement.
The six-month enrolment drive across Australia saw an extra 21,000 eligible Indigenous Australians put their name on the electoral roll.
While deemed successful, it only brought the First Nations enrolment rate up to 76 per cent in the Territory and 84 per cent nationally.
With about eight in 10 Arafura residents being Indigenous, major parties Labor and the CLP as well as the Federation Party’s Alan Middleton have hit the ground running in getting potential voters to the polls.
Five Labor members and one CLP member have held Arafura since the seat was created in 1983.
The former MLAs include some of the Territory’s most renowned political figures, including the now-federal MP Marion Scrymgour and the late star football player Maurice Rioli.
Arafura was first represented by the disgraced Bob Collins, who represented Labor at a Territory and federal level before taking his own life in 2007 the night before he was due to face a raft of child sex abuse charges in court.
Polls close for the Arafura by-election on Saturday March 18.
Bid to boost voter turnout in Arafura by-election
Tuesday, March 7
Electoral voting teams have started travelling across the Territory in a bid to boost polling numbers in the Arafura by-election.
Over the next two weeks the NT Electoral Commission will travel to 22 communities in the electorate, which covers the Tiwi Islands, West Arnhem Land and Kakadu National Park.
Only 52.7 per cent of enrolled Arafura electors voted in the last general election in 2020, which Labor retained by a 7.3 per cent margin.
It marked the lowest voter turnout of any Territory seat.
The by-election, which wraps up on March 18, was triggered after the sudden death of the late Arafura MLA Lawrence Costa.
The Arafura by-election ballot was drawn on Thursday where it was revealed the Federation Party Northern Territory has put forth a candidate
Jabiru resident and registered officer of the party Alan Middleton has thrown his hat into the ring.
He sits third on the ballot paper, with the Country Liberal Party’s Leslie Tungatalum in the top spot and Labor’s Manuel Brown listed second.
The result was planned to be revealed by April 3, but the NT Electoral Commissioner Iain Loganathan said that could be delayed due to wild weather currently causing chaos across the Territory.
“This is a Wet Season by-election and the current weather patterns make it likely that there will be changes to the published schedule,” he said on Thursday.
“Any changes will be advised to stakeholders.
“From Tuesday (March 7) to Saturday (March 18) the Electoral Commission mobile voting teams will be travelling to 21 communities and outstations.”
The last two by-elections since the general election, both ending in a win for Labor, saw about two-thirds of enrolled voters turn out.
The seat, which covers the Tiwi Islands, West Arnhem and Kakadu National Park, has 5563 enrolled voters – the third lowest of all Territory seats.
“Additional polling days have been added for Maningrida and Gunbalanya to hopefully increase turnout,” Mr Loganathan said.
“Eligible voters, not on the electoral roll, can still vote.
“I encourage all residents of the Tiwi Islands and West Arnhem to attend a voting centre even if they’re unsure if they’re on the electoral roll.”
Those not already on the electoral roll will be signed up as they cast their vote for the Arafura seat.
Residents can also apply to receive a postal vote pack.
Candidate nominations for the seat closed at midday on Thursday.
The former MLA’s state funeral was held in Darwin on Wednesday in a service attended by hundreds of people.
By-election called for key NT seat
Thursday, February 23
An Arafura by-election has officially been called after the final stage of preparation took place at Government house.
It comes after the Administrator of the Northern Territory professor Hugh Heggie PSM issued a writ for an Arafura by-election.
The Arafura seat has been empty since Tiwi Islands man Lawrence Costa died on December 17 last year.
Chief Minister Natasha Fyles said all elections “offer a choice for Territorians, and for their voices to be heard”.
Territory Labor and the Country Liberal Party named their endorsed candidates in recent weeks.
Ms Fyles said Territory Labor’s Arafura candidate Manuel Brown was a well-respected Tiwi Islands man.
“He’s also been living in Maningrida for a number of years with his family, and so I believe he will have the ability and strength to represent a broad electorate and make sure that their voice is hard,” Ms Fyles said.
Ms Fyles said Mr Brown had a “vast range of experience” and previously noted his roles with the Northern Land Council, Malala Health, and Bawinanga Aboriginal Corporation.
“We would be proud to have Manuel join our team, and he will be a strong, local voice for the people of Arafura,” she said in January.
Opposition leader Lia Finocchiaro said CLP candidate Leslie Tungatalum was passionate about economic development, ensuring adequate health care services and ensuring infrastructure met Territorians’ standards.
“(He) is a very senior Tiwi man who’s held many roles over many, many decades leading that community, and as a current serving Deputy Mayor of the Tiwi Islands Regional Council,” she said.
“We’re very excited to be working alongside Leslie over the coming weeks now that the election has been officially called, and we’re looking forward to showing the people of Arafura why a CLP team with Leslie Tungatalum as their voice in parliament is going to drive better outcomes for their community.”
Ms Finocchiaro said she believed the by-election would be won by the candidate with “the best connection to culture, community, and Country”.
Nominations for the by-election – including independent candidates – are open from February 23 to March 2.
Early voting for the by-election begins on March 6 and concludes at 6pm on March 17.
Postal voting begins on March 6 and closes on March 31.
Election day will be on March 18.
The election result will be revealed by April 3.
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Originally published as NT politics: Mobile voting teams start travelling Top End ahead of Arafura by-election
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