Business leader Andrea Moriarty looks set to contest Fong Lim for ALP

A FORMER Northern Territory Telstra Businesswoman of the Year is in the box seat to win Labor’s preselection in Fong Lim

Andrea Moriarty, pictured with Chief Minister Michael Gunner, is seeking Labor preselection in Fong Lim. Picture: Justin Kennedy

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A FORMER Northern Territory Telstra Businesswoman of the Year is in the box seat to win Labor’s preselection in Fong Lim.

Killarney Real Estate’s Andrea Moriarty confirmed she would contest preselection of the seat, which is held by Labor outcast Jeff Collins.

Ms Moriarty is the ex-wife of former NT Labor president Matthew Gardiner who made national headlines in 2015 when he left Australia to join Kurdish rebels fight against Islamic State.

She was the 2015 Telstra Businesswoman of the Year in 2015 and has this year appeared alongside Chief Minister Michael Gunner at press events to spruik Labor’s BuildBonus incentives.

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It’s expected engineer Mark Monaghan will also contest the Fong Lim preselection.

Mr Monaghan, who was Engineers Australia NT general manager before moving to engineering firm Pritchard Francis in April, wouldn’t confirm his preselection candidacy when contacted by the NT News on Thursday, saying the matter was yet to be confirmed.

The former teacher is also the president of the Racing Owners and Trainers NT.

Fong Lim was Labor-held until the defection of MLA Jeff Collins to the crossbench in February after he was expelled from the party’s caucus for publicly criticising the Government.

Mr Collins has said he intends to retain the seat as an independent in next year’s election. Labor preselection closed in 17 of the Territory’s 25 seats on Thursday.

The eight seats yet to be opened include Johnston, the battleground for what will be the 2020 election’s most keenly watched preselection showdown.

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It is held by Labor member Ken Vowles, who was kicked out of the Labor caucus last December after refusing to publicly support Chief Minister Michael Gunner.

Nominations haven’t opened in Nightcliff or the independent held seats of Araluen, Goyder, Nelson and Stuart (to be renamed Gwoja) or in Katherine, which is held by retiring Labor incumbent Sandra Nelson.