SEATS IN FOCUS: Fannie Bay likely to stay in Michael Gunner’s hands

Fannie Bay voters have been represented by three consecutive MLAs who went on to become NT’s Chief Minister and the ongoing coronavirus crisis means this most likely won’t change.

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FANNIE Bay voters have been represented by three consecutive MLAs who went on to become NT’s Chief Minister and the ongoing coronavirus crisis means this most likely won’t change.

Mr Gunner has been the local member for Fannie Bay since 2008 and the Chief Minister since 2016.

His competitors in the seat are CLP’s Tracey Hayes, Territory Alliance’s Rebecca Jennings and NT Greens’ Peter Robertson.

Mr Gunner’s margin in the seat stood at 14.2 per cent after the 2016 election, nearly doubling his lead on the CLP from 2012.

The ongoing coronavirus crisis will lead to a “rally around the flag impact”, according to Queensland University of Technology politics professor and former Queensland parliamentary speaker John Mickel.

“My hunch is the Chief Minister would get marks for handling (the pandemic) very well,” professor Mickel said.

“(But) if there was a recurrence then you may see a shift in the public mood.”

NT politician Chief Minister Clare Martin (r, front) being congratulated by supporters after winning election in Darwin 18 Aug 2001.

Effectively, Mr Gunner will more than likely hold his seat despite facing stiff competition from Ms Hayes.

Mr Mickel notes it will be almost impossible as the leader of NT Labor for Mr Gunner to repeat the result of the 2016 election where the party reduced the opposition to “rubble”.

The inner-city Darwin seat, created in 1974 for the NT’s inaugural election, has had 17 years of sharing its local MLA with chief ministerial responsibilities – when the Territory was led by CLP’s Marshall Perron, Labor’s Clare Martin and then Mr Gunner.

Ms Martin, who was the NT’s first female chief minister, insists there is not something in the water, pointing to the shock 2001 election win for Labor that prompted her ascension to the top job.

“When I took over as a back bencher in 1995 (after the by-election prompted by Mr Perron’s resignation) there was no expectation that I was going to be chief,” she said.

And Ms Martin said voters had not been disadvantaged by having to share their MLA with the responsibilities of being chief.

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“When you think of where Fannie Bay is, it’s literally five minutes from Parliament House,” she said. “When you look at the workload of say, one of my colleagues who held a large rural seat … at the end of the day I could go door knock a street, they couldn’t. You could be both a good local candidate and chief minister.”

CANDIDATES

Chief Minister Michael Gunner. Picture Che Chorley

NAME: Michael Gunner

PARTY: NT Labor

WHY PEOPLE SHOULD VOTE FOR YOU: As Chief Minister and Member for Fannie Bay, protecting Territorians from coronavirus is my top priority right now. I will keep doing whatever it takes to protect Territorians – to save lives and save jobs. Kristy and I have started our family in Ludmilla because this community is the best place in the world. I want to keep it that way. So far we have upgraded local schools, improved Gardens Oval and the botanical gardens, created more local jobs, and protected public spaces. But there is always more to do, and I’ll keep working hard for you. I will always put Territorians first.

Tracey Hayes. Picture GLENN CAMPBELL

NAME: Tracey Hayes

PARTY: CLP

WHY PEOPLE SHOULD VOTE FOR YOU: A Territorian for almost 40 years and mum to four boys, I have been working hard for the NT, our people, and our industries for most of my working life. I will work just as hard for the residents of the Fannie Bay electorate. I am a business woman, chair, director and small business owner. As former NT Cattlemen’s Association CEO, I understand the importance of managing finances, jobs, diversification, finding new markets and fostering productive relationships. I am entering politics because I can make a strong contribution to the NT.

Rebecca Jennings. Picture Katrina Bridgeford.

NAME: Rebecca Jennings

PARTY: Territory Alliance

WHY PEOPLE SHOULD VOTE FOR YOU: I’m Darwin born and raised. I’ve worked across the Top End and represented my community through sport, volunteering and youth advocacy. I’m enthusiastic, strategic and resilient with a curious passion to improve the world around me. I’m a natural leader who thrives in challenging environments but knows the key to success is collaboration. With my skills, my strategic approach to finding solutions and my determination, I know we can unlock the potential in Darwin to ensure we have a vibrant, cooperative city for the future.

Peter Robertson. Picture: Supplied

NAME: Peter Robertson

PARTY: NT Greens

WHY PEOPLE SHOULD VOTE FOR YOU: I grew up on a family farm in WA. Witnessing the clearing of forests and rising salinity made me question what we were doing. In 1981, I cycled across Australia to join the campaign to protect Tasmania’s Franklin River. Forty years on I live in The Gardens and watch our NT politicians buckle under pressure from fossil fuel lobbyists and Canberra bullies. If elected for Fannie Bay I’ll put First Nations people, young people and science at the centre of decision making and support local, sustainable businesses, including renewable energy, organic farming and the NT’s creative industries.

HISTORY

CREATED in 1974, the seat is named after the suburb of the same name that in turn is believed to have gained its moniker from Fannie Carandini, an opera singer who performed in Adelaide in 1869, a month before the surveyors left to establish the settlement of Port Darwin.

Fannie Bay’s first MLA, Grant Tambling, served as an NT senator from 1987 to 2001 and as the Administrator of Norfolk Island between 2003 and 2007. His successor, Labor’s Pam O’Neil, was a biochemist who was Australia’s first sex discrimination commissioner from 1984 until 1988 when she was succeeded by Dame Quentin Bryce.

2016 RESULTS

Two party-preferred:

Michael Gunner, 64.2 per cent

Karen Brown, CLP 25.8 per cent. Margin expected to shrink from 14.2 per cent to 12.5 per cent due to redistribution, says ABC election analyst Antony Green. Seat gains the rest of Ludmilla from Fong Lim and loses the rest of Coconut Grove to Johnston and Nightcliff.

PREVIOUS MEMBERS

Grant Tambling, CLP 1974–77

Pam O’Neil, NT Labor 1977–83

Marshall Perron, CLP 1983–95

Clare Martin, NT Labor 1995–2008

Michael Gunner, NT Labor 2008 – present