Politics latest: 'Sad night for Labor': Lawler concedes to Country Liberals

Chief Minister Eva Lawler has conceded defeat at Labor's headquarters in Darwin, marking the end of her nine-month tenure as the leader of the Northern Territory government.   

Lia Finocchario gives her victory speech at the Country Liberal Party election function after winning the NT elections.Picture: Liam Mendes

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10:13 pm August 24, 2024 Highlight

Country Liberals will lead the territory: Finocchiaro

Staff writers

In her victory speech, incoming Country Liberal chief minister Lia Finocchiaro has hailed the election results as a "turning point" for the future of the Northern Territory.

Ms Finocchiaro was greeted by crowds of cheering supporters as she entered the Country Liberal Party's headquarters in Darwin.

"Tonight's result is a victory for hope and opportunity for every single Territorian," Ms Finocchiaro said. "This result represents a turning point in the Territory's future."

Ms Finocchiaro said her first move as chief minister will be to meet with the NT Police Commissioner and Chief Executive of the Cabinet on Sunday to outline immediate work to tackle crime, pledging to do "whatever it takes."

"As a born and bred second-generation Territory kid, the granddaughter of Italian migrants, I grew up living an iconic Territory childhood, hunting, camping, fishing and playing outside. I always knew the Territory was a special place and I was lucky to be a Territorian," she said.

"Territorians have used their voice to stand up against Labor who have taken them for granted for far too long. Territorians have stood up against nearly two decades of escalating crime, an economy going backwards and the erosion of our once iconic lifestyle. But tomorrow is the start of a new day and a new chapter."

CLP President Shane Stone thanked Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for making him redundant so he could be fully devoted to Ms Finocchiaro's campaign.

"I want him to know that I've got enough left over to come after him in the next federal election," Mr Stone said.

Mohammad Alfares

9:27 pm August 24, 2024 Highlight

'Sad night for Labor': Lawler concedes to Country Liberals

Staff writers

Chief Minister Eva Lawler has conceded defeat in a heartfelt press conference held at Labor's headquarters in Darwin, marking the end of her nine-month tenure as the leader of the Northern Territory government.

Ms Lawler lost the seat of Drysdale in Palmerston to CLP candidate Clinton Howe in a substantial two-party preferred swing.

According to figures published by the Northern Territory Electoral Commision at 8:10pm, Mr Howe had secured 1205 first preference against Ms Lawler’s 636.

"It has been an absolute privilege to be Chief Minister of the Northern Territory," Lawler said.

"It's also been an absolute privilege to be the member for Drysdale, probably the best seat in the whole of the Northern Territory, a seat that I've been very proud to represent."

Ms Lawler described it as an “absolutely sad night” for Labor but thanked her party volunteers and members.

"Unfortunately, we haven't got over the line tonight," she added.

"It looks like I've lost my seat and I know some of our great candidates and great members have also lost their seats as well tonight. So a sad night, an absolutely sad night for Labor."

In a poignant moment, Ms Lawler spoke of her late husband Tom, who passed away in 2018 due to cancer.

"It has been tough. My husband passed away in 2018, but I know he's watching down," she said. "And I know every single day he's always supported me in all the roles that I have."

Mohammad Alfares

9:03 pm August 24, 2024 Highlight

Chief Minister loses seat in hammer blow to Labor

Staff writers

Chief Minister Eva Lawler has lost the seat of Drysdale in Palmerston to CLP candidate Clinton Howe in a substantial two-party preferred swing.

According to figures published by the Northern Territory Electoral Commision at 8:10pm, Mr Howe had secured 1205 first preference against Ms Lawler’s 636.

Independent Cindy Mebbingarri Roberts had secured 228 votes

The margin between Mr Howe and Ms Lawler is currently so great that even if all Ms Roberts’ preferences flowed to the chief minister, she would not prevail.

Independent Cindy Mebbingarri Roberts had secured 204 votes.

Speaking before the release of Drysdale’s early results, Federal Solomon MP Luke Gosling said he didn’t believe Ms Lawler had received enough time to campaign during her nine-month tenure.

“With only nine months of the Lawler government, it was difficult for them to change the public’s perception and live reality,” Mr Gosling said.

Mohammad Alfares

8:49 pm August 24, 2024

Labor MPs 'devastated' by Country Liberals swing

Staff writers

Ex-deputy chief minister and outgoing Labor Member for Wanguri Nicole Manison has conceded Labor is in trouble after seeing the early election results swing towards the Country Liberal Party.

"I think Labor is getting sent a very clear message from the electorate, and we are seeing it in the urban centres," Ms Manison said.

"So, you know, we're going to have to start processing this and taking it on board very seriously. But the numbers I'm seeing, I am really not liking tonight.

"I said I'd be devastated if we lost Wanguri, and, you know, I can see that we're going to have some real trouble being able to retain that seat."

Labor strategists had eyed Barkly and Namatjira as possible gains to offset expected losses, particularly in Darwin’s northern suburbs, but the outgoing MP told Sky News that Barkly already looked out of reach.

“To be in the race for government we have to have Barkly, and it’s not looking too good in that regard,” Ms Manison said.

“To see how it’s falling right now, it’s hard to watch.”

Former NT chief minister Natasha Fyles, who resigned from the top job in December, told the ABC's election panel she was "extremely disappointed" by a CLP victory.

She said Labor was still hoping to retain bush seats, such as the seat of Daly, which currently holds a slight swing to Labor by less than 1 per cent.

Mohammad Alfares

8:46 pm August 24, 2024

ABC call election for Country Liberals

Liam Mendes

Country Liberal Party election room. Picture: Liam Mendes

The ABC’s Antony Green has called the election for the Country Liberal Party.

"The Labor government has been defeated," he said.

"It looks like a substantial defeat, and it looks like the CLP will win with a majority, and maybe even a substantial majority."

Former NT chief minister Natasha Fyles, who resigned in December following a scandal involving undisclosed shareholdings in the gas company Woodside, said the CLP victory was “extremely disappointing”.

There is a substantially greater atmosphere and excitement at the Country Liberal Party election party than Territory Labor’s, which also has a smaller turnout than its counterpart.

"At least Labor doesn't just have a two seat opposition," one Labor source said referring to the CLP's landslide loss in 2016.

8:29 pm August 24, 2024

Police Minister proud of 'turning the dial'

Paige Taylor

NT Police Minister Brent Potter says he is most proud of delivering the top end's biggest police budget.

Speaking at NT Labor's election night function to The Australian in Darwin, Mr Potter said the Lawler government had done a huge amount of work "to turn the dial" over the past 18 months.

"We are in for a fight, we knew we were in for a fight but that's what you want, you want democracy to work," Mr Potter said.

The NT Police have come under close scrutiny this year as the inquest into Kumanjayi Walker received evidence of shocking racism by its most elite unit, which gave out awards that the inquest was told were known as the "coon of the year" awards.

Certificates of past awards sent shockwaves through the Tactical Response Group, whose members had previously given affidavits that the awards were not racist.

Then new Police Commissioner Michael Murphy's subsequent apology to Indigenous people for past and more recent events caused conflict with the powerful police union.

Mr Potter acknowledged that events since the police shooting of teen Kumanjayi Walker had been challenging.
In that time, the police officer who shot Walker – Zachary Rolfe – was acquitted of all charges, left the force and turned on NT Police at Walker's inquest.

"It has been a difficult three to four years," Mr Potter said.

Mr Potter said it had been important to reassure police in the NT that their government supported them.

"(It was) reinstating that confidence …. every day they put the uniform on they know that we back them, we want them to go home to their families so that was probably the biggest challenge but also the greatest opportunities".

8:27 pm August 24, 2024

Energy Minister nervous as early votes suggest swing

Paige Taylor

NT Minister for Renewables and Energy Kate Worden has admitted she is nervous as early votes indicate a swing away from the Lawler government to the opposition CLP.

Ms Worden has overseen the end of a moratorium on gas in the NT.

"Just very nervous – nervous for myself, nervous for the team and also for Territorians," she said.

Ms Worden is regarded by Labor as the steward of a range of initiatives the party believes will pull the party out of financial strife. This includes the Beetola Basin gas project that chief minister Eva Lawler has said will deliver royalties that will help put the NT in surplus within 18 months.

"It's been a massive couple of years. We've got some things in the Northern Territory, some amazing projects coming through and I think we are on the cusp of a boom here in the Northern Territory but that's taken a lot of hard work to get here and that's one of the reasons I am so nervous is there is a lot at stake."

8:12 pm August 24, 2024 Highlight

Early results show swing towards Country Liberals

Staff writers

Early results from the Northern Territory election suggest a swing towards the Country Liberal Party (CLP).

The CLP is leading six seats, Territory Labor in three and the Greens in one.

Here are the early voting results in key electorates:

Braitling (Alice Springs): Joshua Burgoyne (CLP) leads with 508 votes, followed by Asta Hill (Greens) with 409 votes, and Allison Bitar (Labor) trailing with 108 votes.

Fannie Bay: Suki Dorras-Walker (Greens) has 300 votes, narrowly ahead of Laurie Zio (CLP) with 255 votes, and Brent Potter (Labor) with 234 votes.

Karama: Brian O'Gallagher (CLP) leads with 447 votes, followed by Ngaree Ah Kit (Labor) with 255 votes, independent candidate Justine Glover with 157 votes, and Andy Rowan (Greens) with 67 votes.

Brennan: Marie-Clare Boothby (CLP) is leading with 252 votes, ahead of Tony Sievers (Labor) with 88 votes.

Namatjira: Bill Yan (CLP) leads with 68 votes, Blair McFarland (Greens) follows with 26 votes, and Sheralee Taylor (Labor) has 23 votes.

Spillett: Lia Finocchiaro (CLP) holds a strong lead with 278 votes, while Caleb Burke (Labor) has 96 votes.

Gwoja: Chansey Paech (Labor) leads with 247 votes, followed by Jarrod Jupurula Williams (CLP) with 118 votes.

Results as of 7:30pm local time.

Mohammad Alfares

8:08 pm August 24, 2024

Finocchiaro will inherit a wicked problem should she win

Paige Taylor

The NT government’s most high-profile challenge is crime but behind the scenes the deeper crisis is debt. If Lia Finocchiaro becomes becomes chief minister after Saturday’s vote, as expected, she inherits a wicked problem.

Her ability to address the crime and social dysfunction in Alice Springs and beyond is severely impaired by the fact the territory of 233,000 people is a financial basket case.

The NT has a net debt 10.82bn. In Tasmania, there is sheer panic over a $3.5bn debt on an island of $541,000 people. Keep in mind, Tasmania does not have the social problems that the the NT has.

It has also got 12 senators advocating for its interests, thanks to a requirement in the constitution that gives every state 12 senators regardless of population and size.

The top end has just two senators. And the work of the NT government is unique because 30.8 per cent of residents are Indigenous.

The Australian’s health editor Natasha Robinson showed us in eye-opening reports this year that Central Australia is a global diabetes capital. Hospitals are overwhelmed with diabetes admissions and required amputations on younger and younger Indigenous people. In the northwest corner of the NT in Arnhem Land, men die – on average – aged 54.

All manner of chronic and preventable illnesses hit the top end’s Indigenous residents at shocking rates.

Chief minister Eva Lawler has said: “It is hard slogging work to address a young person that is committing a crime”. She is not wrong. The evidence is in that what helps keep children on the right path is not a custodial sentence when they are 16.

It starts with pre-natal programs that support pregnant young women to make good choices, it needs early childhood programs, early interventions when families are struggling and it all costs a lot. It does not, however, cost as much as dealing with the results.

8:02 pm August 24, 2024

Liddle: insurance prices out of control in NT

Staff writers

Liberal Senator Kerrynne Liddle has claimed that contents and home insurance is $1000 more expensive in the Northern Territory than the rest of Australia as a result of "spurring" crime."

Speaking from Alice Springs, Ms Liddle said the CLP were “working hard to improve the situation” for the embattled town, which has seen spikes of intense violence leading to two snap curfews being called in an attempt to quell crime in the past five months.

"Crime is actually spurring on and making the cost of living crisis worse for people in the Alice but further afield right across the territory," Ms Liddle said.

"Cost of living, crime really hasn't changed that much in Central Australia so you know she (Eva Lawler) doesn't get off spot free in my mind just because there's been a change at the top.

"I found out that house and contents insurance for people in the Northern Territory is a thousand dollars more than the Australian average for house and contents insurance," she said.

Mohammad Alfares