Shane Stone re-elected CLP president ahead of 2024 NT election

A senior statesman who credits himself as delivering ‘the biggest bloody thumping’ Labor had ever seen has returned to help the CLP win next year’s election.

A Country Liberal Party statesman says the government has “now got a contest” after he was chosen to lead the opposition towards next year’s election.

Shane Stone was elected uncontested to become the CLP president at a party conference on Saturday, alongside the endorsement of two Palmerston candidates.

It marks the third time he has stepped into the role, taking on the presidency after the party was whittled down to two members in the 2016 election, as well as three decades prior.

Mr Stone was first elected as the Port Darwin MLA in 1990 before becoming chief minister five years later – holding the top job for one term.

NT Chief Minister Shane Stone claimed victory in election after a convincing Country Liberal Party (CLP) win in 1995.

While in office he introduced mandatory sentencing and held a Northern Territory referendum to decide if the NT should become a state, which was narrowly defeated.

Mr Stone said the Labor government would be “beside themselves” with his re-emergence.

“Make no mistake, I’m the bloke that delivered them the biggest bloody thumping in political history up here,” he said.

“They know that I know how to win.”

Mr Stone, 73, said the CLP’s strong economic credentials would win over voters at the polls in August.

Shane Stone was the co-ordinator general of the National Recovery and Resilience Agency (NRRA) until he was sacked after a Labor federal election victory last year. Picture: Matt Thompson

“Labor haven’t done anything substantial since (Inpex),” he said.

“Everything gets announced and millions gets splashed around and then your paper ultimately reports ‘that got kicked to the gutter’.

“We need to get real about the economy.”

Mr Stone described the current cabinet as a “deeply divided” group of people without a plan to get the economy on track.

However the CLP has faced its fair share of turmoil in the past year, with former president Lawson Broad quitting in opposition to the party’s No stance on the referendum and a motion against Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro.

All seven current CLP members have been re-endorsed to contest next year’s election while three candidates have been announced. Picture: Supplied

Mr Stone brushed aside suggestions Ms Finocchiaro’s leadership was ever in doubt, describing the party’s support for her as “rock solid”.

He also said all seven current CLP members had been re-endorsed to contest next year’s election.

Chief Minister Natasha Fyles said Mr Stone’s return to the CLP harked back to a “bygone era”.

“On the weekend the CLP showed us that they are same old CLP – no matter how hard they try to rebrand,” she said.

“We are a young and vibrant place, with fresh new forward thinking ideas, and that should be reflected in our leadership.”