Surprise independent Fannie Bay candidate Mark MacKenzie stuck in Queensland

A musician and performing artist who’s currently stuck in Queensland due to coronavirus restrictions has emerged as a last minute independent challenger in Chief Minister Michael Gunner’s seat of Fannie Bay.

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A MUSICIAN and performing artist who’s currently stuck in Queensland due to coronavirus restrictions has emerged as a last minute independent challenger in Chief Minister Michael Gunner’s seat of Fannie Bay.

Mark MacKenzie, who first came to the Territory in 1999 before returning in 2006, emerged as an unexpected candidate at the NT Electoral Commission’s ballot draw on Thursday.

But he won’t be able to campaign on the ground until at least August 17, five days out from the election, as he’s currently on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast after travelling through the east coast from Tasmania and is self-isolating and getting tested for COVID-19 before he flies to the NT.

Mr MacKenzie said he put his hand up to run in Fannie Bay because he doesn’t believe Mr Gunner has represented the needs of all of the voters in the seat.

Independent candidate for Fannie Bay, Mark MacKenzie. Picture: Supplied

“The Italians have a saying that translates to ‘a fish rots from the head down’,” he said.

“(It means) that if the person running government isn’t considering all of the needs of all Territorians then that government cannot be truly representative of all Territorians.”

Mr MacKenzie, who has a degree in coastal management and has held jobs in multiple sectors including as a labourer on a mango farm, an inclusion support assistant at an NT primary school, and in hospitality, said his focus is on community issues.

He has been away from the NT for a year but says community issues are congruent everywhere, in regards to health, security and access to social service support systems.

“In previous generations the community used to feed one fire and then distribute from there. What’s happened over time is that that has broken down, where people have been feeding their individual homes first and it seems as though there’s nothing left for the community fire,” he said.

“(This) has led to people feeling isolated and neglected, especially in terms of the underprivileged members of the community (like) pensioners, (the) unemployed and homeless.

“As a result we have had a breakdown in the social order.”

Mr MacKenzie drew 1st position on the ballot paper above other Fannie Bay challengers Peter Robertson (Greens), Tracey Hayes (CLP), Rebecca Jennings (Territory Alliance) and Chief Minister Michael Gunner (NT Labor).

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