Northern Territory

[Platypus]

G'day.

The Northern Territory, which is the size of Italy, France and Spain combined and has only about 170,000 people, is holding it's territorial parliamentary election today.

At present, the Australian Labor Party, under Chief Minister Clare Martin holds 13 of the 25 seats in the legislature. The Country Liberal Party, a party unique to the Territory and a member of the Liberal/National coalition, had been in power since the Territory was given self governance in 1974.

The ALP have had a reasonable term, and the first ever aboriginal minister was appointed during the last term. It hasn't all been smooth sailing, though; there have been rumours of scandal in some of the seats in the south of the state, around Alice Springs.

The main issues of the campaign have been developement, especially of the Darwin harbour; native title (aboriginal land claims) and proposed laws relating to drunkeness in public places. Some groups have called the ALP's policy racist against Aborigines, as there is a MAJOR substance abuse problem in aboriginal communities, especially relating to alcohol and especially in urban centers. Others claim it is non-specific to race, and some (including mself) think it would be racist NOT to do anything and just let the situation continue.

Anyway, they're voting. Incumbents have a major benefit in territorian elections that they don't have in other states and territories-photograhs of the candidates are included on the ballot paper, due to the relatively high amount of illiterate people.

BTW, interesting fact: 3/10 voters will be voting in their first election this time.

for more news and analysis, visit www.abc.net.au/elections

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I'd be suprised in the Country Liberal Party don't regain power; mind you I was shocked when they lost it in the first place...

[Joe Republic]

I read somewhere that NT decided not to become a state when offered, hence the name 'territory'.  As a result, they don't get their fair share of representation in Parliament.  Is that right?

[Platypus]

Not really. They are actually over represented in some ways. They 'only' have two senators, rather then the 12 states get, but if you compare the population of the NT with that of VIC or NSW, they're still overly represented there. Plus, they gained a second seat in 2001 but were meant to lose it in 2004; the parliament passed a law ensuring it had a second seat (because if it was just one, the liberals would have most certainly lost it, and with a second one seat becomes a swing seat (Solomon)).

Anyway, the polls are closed, but it takes a long time to count the reults. Unlike yourself, Al, i'd be surprised if the CLP won. The independents would split half-half ALP-CLP, so they need 12 seats to win, and I can't see them gaining, definently not two (how funny is this, compared to the British elections with hundreds of seats )

I'm about to go onto the abc site to see if they have any results up. I hope Labor wins; we have an amazing situatuion with all state and territory governments being Labor, whilst the federal government is lib/nat, and i'd like that to continue at least until the next federal election....

[Platypus]

WOOOT!

With 35% of the vote counted, it appears the ALP have WON 16 seats, with 1 likely and with 1 possible other seat 'in doubt'. The CLP have only FOUR, with one other in doubt. There is one seat to be held by an independent, with another in doubt.

The swing? +14.1% to the ALP.

14.1%

That's MASSIVE.

That's ENORMOUS.

That's...wow. It was coupled with a 9.8% swing against the CLP.




Of the seats the CLP will retain, the margins are now:

Katherine 51.9% TPP (13.3% swing to Labor)
Goyder 52.1% TPP (12.7% swing to Labor)
Blain 55.8% TPP (10.9% swing to Labor)

Arleun is too close to call; as the counted votes only come from the more CLP friendly areas so far. At the moment, the CLP have 54.7% of the TPP, with a 2.7% swing in their favour. It's 'in doubt'.

The CLP have also probably gained a seat from an independent, Braitling, with 52.6% of the TPP vote, and a 8.1% swing in their favour.

This is a totally unpredicted landslide-and they haven't even counted the rural and roving mainly aboriginal boths yet!


This is a great outcome. I'm so glad Burke and his racist buddies didn't win, and got massacred.

[Platypus]

UPDATE

Braitling is now too close to call, with the CLP leading the Independent 50.1% to 49.% in the TPP vote.

just changed again. Now a five vote lead to the independent in Braitling, with one voting booth left in this ALice Springs suburban seat.

Drysdale has been changed to a slight ALP lead-21 votes-after a 16.1% swing to the ALP, although the remianing booths should put the CLP just ahead.

[Platypus]

Araleun is now looking like a retain for the CLP, with 3/5 booths in and 56.9% of the TPP, and a 4.9% swing in the CLP's favour.

This is really cool-it's almost direct democracy with only about 4500 voters per seat!

[Platypus]

UPDATE

Drysdale, with 7/10 booths counted, is looking like an ALP win now, with a whole 33 vote lead, and 50.7% of the TPP.

No new results expected from Braitling until the morning.


Araluen is CLP.

So, the new parliament is looking like 18 ALP, 6 CLP and 1 Independent.

[Platypus]

UPDATE

No change in Braitling.

No change in Drysdale.

Boyder, after 7/9 booths, now marginal. WIth a 14.6% swing in his favour, the ALP's Ted Warren now trails the CLP candidate by 12 votes.

Labor is now leading in Port Darwin by 19 votes, after a 7.6% swing in their favour there.

Guys, this is probably the biggest UNEXPECTED landslide in Australian electoral history, certainly in my lifetime. Whilst there have been bigger landslides, none were as much an upset as this. It's...wow. Especially considering the problems with federal Labor...

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Wow!

Nowt like a pleasant suprise!

[Platypus]

OK, new day update

Braitling-no change, Independent still leads by 5 votes.

Drysdale-no change, ALP still lead by 33 votes.

Goyder-no change. CLP still lead by 12 votes.

Port Darwin-no change. ALP still lead by 19 votes.

This waiting is irritating. Damn mobile booths! They usually are favourable to the ALP though, although I don't know what the problem is with Port Darwin-no mobile booths there. Goyder could still flip, but it's unlikely, as it is a CLP stronghold. It basically covers the rural areas surrounding Darwin and Palmerston (a satellite of Darwin) through to Kakadu. Drysdale is probable ALP, which is pretty amazing considering it is in Palmerston, a CLP town-by a LONG way, like Alice Springs. I have no idea if the last booth will support the CLP or the Independent in Braitling, but I expect the CLP. It's suburban Alice Springs with a bit of bush, and I presume the last booth is from the bush area. The independent was the mayor of Alice Springs, iirc, so that might not carry too much weight in the rural parts.

[The Dowager Mod]

They need to come up with a better name.
"Northern territory" is so blah.

[Platypus]

well, the nickname is "The Territory" if that's better

Basically, there are four areas in the NT-The outback, The top End, Darwin and Alice Springs. Alice Springs is the 'capital' of the outback part, Darwin is the territorial capital and the biggest city in the North. As these results have shown, the Top End has been swept by the ALP, and the rest is split, with Alice Springs leaning CLP but the oputback-outback supporting Labor (the results for MacDonnell...wow!).

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

I heard there are only 3 settlements of any significant size in Northern Territory, the capital Darwin which has over half the population, Alice Springs as you mentioned and the town of Katherine which is around 7,500. The rest of the area is as sparse as it gets. Reminds me of North Dakota.

[Platypus]

that's pretty much right. there are some other places with a few hundred-Tennant Creek, Pinjara, etc.; but basicaly the only big ones are Darwin and Alice Springs, with Katherine only considerd big because everywhere else is so small

[The Dowager Mod]

Who was alice?

[Platypus]

I know that, but I can't remember. I think it was the Governor's wife.

[minionofmidas]

Whoever she was, she certainly springs.

[jimrtex]

Who was Alice?

Alice was the wife of Sir Charles Todd, Postmaster General of South Australia.  Originally, it was the name of the telegraph station on the Overland Telegraph from Adelaide to Darwin, completed in 1872.  The town was originally named Stuart in honor of John McDouall Stuart who completed the north-south crossing of the continent in 1862.   Completion of the railroad from Adelaide in 1929 led to a shift in settlement away from Alice Springs to the townsite on the Todd River (named for Alice's husband) about 10 km from the telegraph station. 
Because of confusion between the name of the town and its telegraph station, the town was renamed from Stuart to Alice Springs in 1933.  The location of the telegraph station is now known as Telegraph Station.

Incidentally, about 2000 of the 28,000 residents of the area are American because of a nearby satellite tracking station.  Holidays celebrated in the area include Thanksgiving, Halloween, and the 4th of July, and baseball, basketball, and ten pin bowling are played.

Aboriginal name of the town is Mbamtwe.

[Platypus]

Mbamtwe? I doubt that, but hey. That's some cool info.