Shell-shocked Labor considering reality of NT rebuild
A shell-shocked Northern Territory Labor Party was on Sunday beginning to consider the reality of a two-term rebuild after losing 10 of its 14 seats at Saturday’s election.
A shell-shocked Northern Territory Labor Party was on Sunday beginning to consider the reality of a two-term rebuild after losing 10 of its 14 seats at Saturday’s election.
One Labor source said CLP senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price was correct on Saturday when she predicted that Chansey Paech, who had been the deputy chief minister, would want the job of leading the opposition.
However, there was some doubt within Labor about whether he was the right person to take over from chief minister Eva Lawler – who sensationally lost her seat of Drysdale – given he was in a leadership role in the lead up to the party’s wipe-out.
“He wasn’t in charge, but he was there and sometimes it is the optics,” one Labor source said.
“People are still in shock I think.”
Other insiders were saying Selena Uibo could be a solid choice because she is “a perfect opposite to Lia” (Finocchiaro). Like the new chief minister, Ms Uibo was born and bred in the Territory.
Ms Finocchiaro, the incoming chief minister and Country Liberal Party leader, is a former lawyer while Ms Uibo is a former schoolteacher.
Ms Finocchiaro’s father built a career as a senior public servant. Ms Uibo’s mother is Nunggubuyu from Numbulwar and Wanindilyakwa from Groote Eylandt, and her father is a second-generation Australian of Estonian and South African origin, born in Sydney.
Territory Labor crisis meetings are expected to kick off early this week as the party comes to terms with what has happened and as they wait to find out whether they hold any urban seats.
At the close of counting on Saturday, Labor had just four seats, all in the NT bush – Mr Paech in Gwoja, Ms Uibo in Arnhem, Dheran Young in Daly and Manuel Brown in Arafura.
Nightcliff, previously the safest seat in the Territory and held by former chief minister Natasha Fyles, was on Sunday too close to call.
Other key predicted Labor losses included mining minister Mark Monaghan, former police minister Brent Potter and environment minister Kate Worden.
In the week before election day, Labor noticed CLP had “gone up a gear”. Ms Finocchiaro was clear and engaging at her Sky News Australia debate on Wednesday against a much more experienced Ms Lawler. Labor insiders have told The Australian they initially felt the CLP may have been overconfident. This was in part because some commentators were predicting a very close result and even a hung parliament.
However, towards the end of the week, there was a clear difference in the attitude and demeanour of the leaders. Ms Lawler was not communicating as crisply as usual, while observers said Ms Finocchiaro had significantly more confidence.
Labor sources who spoke to The Australian on Sunday felt the instability in the party was one factor that hurt them. The exit of Ms Fyles from the leader’s job over undeclared shares felt like a turning point in hindsight.
“The Natasha era was shocking, the Gunner era was pretty bad, we really underestimated how pissed off people are,” one said. “Our performance is reflective on the opposition that has been elected. Fyles is the one who has held her seat and she caused a lot of this.”
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