CLP could pull off ScoMo style ‘miracle win’ at election: Deputy PM says, though analyst disagrees

THE Country Liberal Party could pull off a ScoMo style “miracle” win in the coming election, according to the Deputy Prime Minister

THE Country Liberal Party could pull off a Scott Morrison style “miracle” win in the coming election, Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack says, drawing parallels with the against-the-odds 2019 federal election result.

But an NT election analyst says comparing the two polls isn’t “very useful” considering the federal Coalition already held a majority and didn’t need to come back from having just two seats in government.

MORE IN POLITICS

Territory Alliance favours Labor over CLP due to fracking stance

‘Failed’ Welcome to the Territory population incentive dropped

Redrawn and newly named seat could save NT Speaker

Mr McCormack, the fourth Nationals MP to lend support to the CLP this election, said the situation facing CLP leader Lia Finocchiaro was not “dissimilar” to last year’s federal election, when Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s government was written off by most pundits before its shock win.

He acknowledged it would be “tough” for the CLP to turn their two seats in parliament to a winning majority and that the 2016 election had been “disastrous” before drawing on sporting analogies to argue that the party could come from behind and win.

CLP campaign launch Lia Finocchiaro with Michael McCormack and candidates in back Picture Katrina Bridgeford.

Calling Ms Finocchiaro an “Energiser bunny” who attended everything from town hall forums to TV interviews, Mr McCormack said the CLP could win just like champion thoroughbred gelding Kiwi, which in 1983 went from last to first in the Melbourne Cup.

LIMITED TIME – Discounted NT News subscription: Read everything for $1

Election analyst and Territory Alliance member Ken Parish said the federal Coalition went into the 2019 campaign as a government and only had to hold on to the seats it had, not come from two seats to 13 or more like the CLP needed to govern.

“I don’t think they are going to be able to turn that around,” he said.

Mr Parish said the CLP was bound to win some seats back, maybe five to six, but a coalition with Territory Alliance was more conceivable than a CLP majority.

He said it was now also “much more likely” that NT Labor would “scrape across the line” and retain government.

Mr McCormack, who has refused to criticise Chief Minister Michael Gunner or any other jurisdiction leader’s response to the coronavirus, citing the need for a united national leadership, did take aim at the Territory’s chief for not being on the hustings listening to the people or talking about infrastructure.

The Nationals leader also slammed Territory Alliance on their preferences in key marginal seats including Port Darwin, saying a vote for the breakaway party was a vote for Labor.

Territory Alliance leader Terry Mills said the criticism was “pretty odd” when the party was preferencing CLP in 18 seats, before arguing people were more concerned about other matters, such as the economy.