Strong candidates create divide in Central Australia

CENTRAL Australia and Alice Springs has been split politically during this Territory election because of the “really strong candidates”, according to the Alice Springs peak business body

• Lambley confirms commitment to Territory Alliance

CENTRAL Australia and Alice Springs has been split politically during this Territory election because of the “really strong candidates”, according to the Alice Springs peak business body.

In Braitling, CLP’s Joshua Burgoyne led the two-candidate preferred count with 2014 votes while Labor candidate and incumbent Dale Wakefield had 1909 votes when counting finished yesterday.

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In Araluen, Territory Alliance incumbent Robyn Lambley’s leads with 21 more votes than CLP candidate and former Alice Springs mayor Damien Ryan.

Namatjira has been a tight race between the CLP’s Bill Yan and Labor’s Sheralee Taylor.

Ms Taylor currently leads the two-candidate preferred votes by 19 with 1692 votes.

In Gwoja, Labor’s Chansey Paech easily claimed victory with 1462 of the two-candidate preferred votes over the CLP’s Phillip Alice and Federation Party candidate Kenny Lechleitner.

NT Chamber of Commerce chief operating officer Nicole Walsh said she thought the split of preferred parties across Alice Springs seats came down to “really strong candidates”.

Ms Walsh said the main issues in focus for this year’s election in Alice Springs were economy, crime, COVID-19 and the environment.

“It’s been such a variety — economy and the debt that we’re in, what’s happened during COVID-19 and management of that going forward,” Ms Walsh said.

“I think that really reflects on people’s thoughts and feelings of such a variety of issues or what people want to have addressed in our community, and I think it reflects the number of candidates that we have this year as well.

“I believe that this has been one of the strongest elections we’ve had with the number of candidates that were already heavily profiled and already involved in Alice Springs, as well as Central Australia.

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“People had already done work within the space of representation.”

Ms Walsh said the candidates’ commitment to frequent campaigning on the streets around town was impressive.

“I have no doubt that the candidates are all very passionate people and professional and I expect they can work together for the best of the community,” she said.

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