Labor shows no concern over voter backlash in NT by-election

If the Labor Party in the Territory is worried about the voter backlash at the Johnston by-election at the weekend it is definitely not showing any signs of concern.

Chief Minister Michael Gunner in a hard hat

IF the Labor Party in the Territory is worried about the voter backlash at the Johnston by-election at the weekend it is definitely not showing any signs of concern.

Richmond star and former Territory union leader Joel Bowden won the seat but suffered a massive primary vote collapse – from 51 per cent to 30 per cent.

The NT News asked Labor’s NT secretary Anthony Brereton yesterday if the Labor Party was happy with its primary vote and if it had any concerns about the reduction in the margin.

Mr Brereton was also asked if the Labor Party NT would be having a debrief on the Johnston by-election and about the emergence of the Territory Alliance Party. Questions were also asked over whether the party fully supported Michael Gunner as leader and what the party thought of the high Greens vote.

Mr Brereton responded to all questions with:

“The people of Johnston have elected Territory Labor’s Joel Bowden and the CLP have been decimated.

“On Monday, Territory Labor will be out campaigning for the re-election of our leader, Chief Minister Michael Gunner, and our Labor Government in August.

“Territorians can see Territory Alliance is the CLP with a different coat of paint and that means more cuts, asset sales and power price rises.”

When again asked if he agreed with Chief Minister Gunner that the vote was a tick for the Government and whether he had any concerns about the reduction in margin, Mr Brereton gave the same response.

For his part, Mr Bowden said he received a big message from the Johnston electorate about the environment.

“The environment, the economy, and very specific localised issues that need to be addressed were the doorstep issues,” Mr Bowden said.

“I’ve got four young children, so it is front and centre for me as well.” Mr Bowden batted away questions on voter backlash, ministerial aspirations and Mr Gunner’s leadership.

“I think what the people of Johnston said was that in a field of seven they decided to choose Labor,” he said.

“A vote for Labor and a vote for me is a vote for the future because on Monday I get to go in and argue the case on behalf of the electorate in the Government.”

The Greens, who turned their back on the Labor Party in Johnston, said voters overwhelmingly showed they were not buying the Government’s lies and wanted better.

Greens candidate for Nightcliff at the August election Billee McGinley said the Greens were impressed with Aiya Goodrich Carttling’s solid result on a limited campaign.

“The Greens’ Johnston by-election campaign sent a clear message to the Gunner Government on fracking … a message we will continue with for the Territory-wide election in August,” Ms McGinley said.

“Labor’s vote went down by 20 per cent while candidates with a clear policy to ban fracking scored almost 30 per cent of the vote.

“Labor talks big on climate action, but by far the most significant is their fracking agenda. Johnston voters overwhelmingly showed they are not buying these lies and want better.”