Ex-Labor backbencher Scott McConnell issues warning to Labor newbies

FORMER Labor backbencher Scott McConnell has issued a warning to the newly elected members of the Territory government

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FORMER Labor backbencher Scott McConnell has issued a warning to the newly elected members of the Territory government to not shy away from voicing their dissent.

Mr McConnell was one of three Labor MLAs booted from caucus in 2018 for voicing dissent on the NT’s ballooning debt and how the government was handling it. After losing in Braitling as an independent, Mr McConnell had some parting words of advice for some of Labor’s new faces.

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“Sadly, I think they will be pushed aside and their voices won’t be heard in caucus, especially if it’s about anything outside of Darwin,” he said.

“I get really worried when I see people who were independent thinkers starting to parrot party lines. I would encourage the newcomers to stay true to what you stand for.

Ex-Labor MLA Scott McConnell had a warning for some of Labor’s new faces. Picture: Che Chorley

“That’s especially important with NT’s debt set to hit $8.2bn this year. At some stage, the government will have to talk about making some savings. You can’t ignore that.”

Mark Monaghan (Fong Lim) will be one of Labor’s new faces, and potentially also Mark Turner (Blain) and Sid Vashist (Barkly), who are currently leading their counts.

In Barkly, the margin between Mr Vashist and CLP’s Steven Edgington has narrowed to just 23 votes.

With 59 per cent of the vote counted, Mr Edgington said he thought it would take another week before a win was declared.

Mark Monaghan, who has won in Fong Lim, will be one of Labor’s new faces in parliament. Picture: Che Chorley

“I haven’t given up yet. Things are still too close so I think I have a chance,” he said.

“There are still a few postal votes to come and the cut-off for these are midday next Friday, so we’ll have to just wait and see.”

ABC election analyst Antony Green said the postal votes for Barkly would likely favour the CLP. The seat has seen a significant swing of more than 15 per cent back to the CLP following Saturday’s election.

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“I think that swing represents a lot of dissatisfaction voters, especially out bush, have with the disappointing investment in community housing out here,” Mr Edgington said.

The NT Electoral Commission resumes counting on Friday.

In Darwin, counting for all Top End divisions will start at 10am and will include absentee votes from Central Australia and interstate, returned postal votes, and votes cast by electors at the COVID-19 quarantine facility at Howard Springs.

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