Barkly Regional Council: NTEC announces candidates, with four already elected by default

The NT Electoral Commission has declared 21 candidates – including four already elected by default – for the upcoming Barkly election. The previous council was dismissed earlier this year.

Barkly Regional Council has been without local representation since October 2023 when its previous council was suspended. Picture: Alex Treacy

Four candidates in the upcoming Barkly local government elections to replace the region’s dismissed former council have been elected by default after the NT Election Commission unveiled its list of declared candidates on Friday.

Barkly Regional Council has been under administration since October last year, when the members of the former council were suspended pending allegations of a decaying ability to deliver services, financial mismanagement and toxic feuding.

The council was dismissed in June after an investigation found the claims either wholly or partially substantiated.

Mayor candidate and former deputy mayor Greg Marlow. Picture: File

Unrelated to the investigation, former mayor Jeffrey McLaughlin controversially performed a citizen’s arrest on a 12-year-old boy, while pre-existing cannabis charges against the mayor are scheduled to be heard in Alice Springs Alice Springs Local Court at the end of October.

Mr McLaughlin has previously defended his actions in relation to the citizen’s arrest.

On Friday, the NT Electoral Commission (NTEC) announced 21 candidates had put themselves forward to help nurse the region back to health.

The candidates included six mayoral hopefuls, 15 aspiring councillors, who will eventually be whittled down to a mayor and 12 councillors

The candidates in Alyawarr Ward matched the number of positions available, so Noel Hayes, Andrew Tsavaris, Darryl Rex Morton and Zacieus Long were elected by default.

The final makeup of the new council will not be known until November 15 when the final post votes are counted and preferences allocated.

Barkly mayoral candidate Barb Shaw, the chair of Aboriginal Investment NT. Barkly Council elections 2024. Picture: Aboriginal Investment NT

The mayoral candidates – all prominent Barkly locals – are Greg Marlow, Valda Napurrula Shannon, Sid Vashist, Nungarayi Shirley Lewis, Dianne Stokes and Barb Shaw.

Shaw, a Kaytetye, Arrernte, Warramunga and Warlpiri woman, is the chair of Aboriginal Invesment NT, while Marlow, Vashist and Stokes sat on the former council.

Shannon works in Aboriginal health, while Lewis previously sought election in the Patta Ward by-election last year.

Barkly mayoral candidate Dianne Stokes. Barkly Council elections 2024. Picture: NT Greens

Early voting commences on October 21 at the Tennant Creek Civic Hall and NTEC Darwin offices, while voting closes at 6pm November 2.

“With the voting period fast approaching, I would like to remind Barkly Regional Council residents to plan when and where they will be voting,” NT Electoral Commissioner Kirsten Kelly said.

Originally published as Barkly Regional Council: NTEC announces candidates, with four already elected by default