Terry Mills open to CLP deal on election preferences

A PREFERENCE deal with the Country Liberal Party could be on the cards for the Territory’s newest political party this election

Josh Thomas addresses media regarding his announcement as a CLP candidate for the seat of Johnston. Picture: Che Chorley

A PREFERENCE deal with the Country Liberal Party could be on the cards for the Territory’s newest political party this election.

Territory Alliance founder Terry Mills said he was “definitely open” to considering placing the CLP second on his party’s how-to-vote cards for the upcoming Johnston by-election.

Residents in the electorate are expected to head to the polls early this year with the resignation of exiled Labor MLA Ken Vowles – expected to be made official January 31 – to trigger a Johnston by-election.

CLP president Ron Kelly dismissed questions about potential preference deals with Territory Alliance, saying it was too early to comment.

However, Mr Mills said his party would consider a deal between the two conservative parties.

“Territory Alliance would be open to considering preference deals on a case-to-case basis,” he said.

“I think we’d be open to one with the CLP in Johnston but it would have to be discussed thoroughly by the party before we decide.”

The Johnston by-election will be the first test for Terry Mills’ new political party Territory Alliance.

Its candidate Steven Klose, who unsuccessfully took on Vowles for the CLP in 2016, will run against the Labor candidate, Unions NT president and former AFL player Joel Bowden.

The CLP revealed on Tuesday that it had preselected blues guitarist Josh Thomas.

A former guitar teacher of about 20 years, Mr Thomas grew up in the Johnston electorate and founded the Darwin Blues Festival.

He currently works as an indigenous consultant for Rise Ventures, providing support for prisoners at Darwin Correctional Centre and preparing them for life on the outside.

Mr Thomas said his background gave him a “realistic insight” into how to tackle the key concerns of Johnston voters like crime.

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“I was also a drug and alcohol outreach worker around Darwin for a long time, so I have a firm understanding on the issues and problems people are faced with right now,” he said.

“You can’t get better than me ’cause I’ve been working on the inside.”

His father Harold Thomas is the artist who designed the Aboriginal flag in 1971.