CLP seek candidates for Arnhem, Gwoja, Casuarina, Johnston, Fong Lim, Port Darwin, Fannie Bay, Nightcliff

The Opposition has revealed an eight-seat gap in its campaign to take on the Labor government in the August election, with preselection still open for three incredibly marginal seats. WHO DO YOU WANT TO SEE RUN FOR OFFICE?

Country Liberal Party leader Lia Finocchiaro and NT Labor leader Eva Lawler ahead of the 2024 Territory election.

Seats held by former Chief Ministers and senior Labor members are in the crosshairs of the Country Liberal Party’s preselection campaign as the opposition seeks candidates to challenge eight seats.

Less than eight months out of the Territory election, the CLP has renewed calls for applications for candidates for Arnhem, Gwoja, Casuarina, Johnston, Fong Lim, Port Darwin, Fannie Bay and Nightcliff.

A 2023 notice on the CLP website said nominations for those eight seats were meant to close by mid to late September, however four months later they are still seeking “passionate and strong community advocates”.

The eight seats include those won in 2020 by former Chief Ministers Michael Gunner and Natasha Fyles – who turned Nightcliff into the safest seat in the Territory with a 74.3 per cent two-party preferred vote.

Following Mr Gunner’s resignation, Labor lost seven points from its two-party preferred, dropping to a 2.6 per cent margin to elect Brent Potter. 

The CLP’s preselection bid has also narrowed in on Selena Uibo’s seat after she won the 2020 Arnhem run-off by just 1.6 per cent of the vote to independent Ian Mongunu Gumbula.

In 2020 Fong Lim’s Mark Monaghan won just a 2.6 per cent lead, while Paul Kirby retained his seat by 2.1 per cent – leaving both marginal seats as tasty targets for the Opposition.

CLP president Shane Stone asid eight preselection seats remained open less than eight months out from the election. Picture: Evan Morgan

The CLP is also seeking to unseat the deputy Chief Minister and Attorney-General, calling out for candidates to challenge Chansey Paech, who won his seat with a huge 16.2 per cent margin.

The safe Labor seat of Casuarina will also be challenged, with the CLP hoping that the booting of Lauren Moss from the ministry may weaken her hold on the northern suburbs.

The opposition is also seeking candidates to challenge her neighbour in Johnston, Joel Bowden despite his 16.5 per cent margin.

CLP president Shane Stone said the reason for those eight seats being advertised was simple: “We haven’t filled them yet”.

But Mr Stone said the preselection process worked through the seats “systematically”, with branches holding their preselection processes at different times.

A CLP spokesman said those eight were within the Rural, Trower and Darwin CLP branches, who have “responsibility for the preselection of their respective candidates”.

The spokesman said the North Darwin Branch, which include Wanguri, Sanderson and Karama, have already moved to the next stage of their preselection process.

Mr Stone said the candidates for the eight seats had until Friday, February 2 to apply, with branch votes to occur the week after.

Mr Stone said all CLP candidates would be announced that month.

Originally published as CLP seek candidates for Arnhem, Gwoja, Casuarina, Johnston, Fong Lim, Port Darwin, Fannie Bay, Nightcliff