Territory preselection battles heat up

Labor has opened preselection nominations in 17 of the Territory’s 25 seats up for grabs at next year’s election.

Labor Party leader Michael Gunner gives his first speech as the new Chief Minister of the Northern Territory at the Waratah club. Picture: Ivan Rachman

• NT Labor branch’s push to dump Ken Vowles

Labor has opened preselection nominations in 17 of the Territory’s 25 seats up for grabs at next year’s election.

But the party has left the tricky ones until later.

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

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.

Labor sources told the NT News the extra time would allow the party to gather support for a factional deal to wrest the nomination from the unaligned Mr Vowles.

Nominations haven’t opened in 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.

Nightcliff is also yet to be opened for nominations. It is held for Labor by Attorney-General Natasha Fyles, who is on personal leave in the US until after nominations for the remaining seats close on October 3.

Nominations in Namatjira, held by Labor backbencher Chansey Paech, also have not been opened.

Earlier this month, Mr Paech told the NT News he was considering a switch to the neighbouring electorate of Stuart after a redistribution of Namatjira added urban voters to what was previously a bush seat.

He did not return calls yesterday.

Independent member for Stuart Scott McConnell yesterday confirmed he would also leapfrog electorates to contest Braitling, held by his former Labor colleague and Territory Families Minister Dale Wakefield.

The Country Liberal Party announced the first seven of its candidates at its Central Council meeting at the weekend.

Alice Springs Mayor Damien Ryan, who was widely expected to face off against Ms Wakefield in Braitling for the CLP, will instead contest Araluen against conservative independent Robyn Lambley.