The Northern Territory’s Election Day’s Eve
It is the final day of campaigning in the northern territory, before voters go to the polls tomorrow. Labor is hoping to secure a third term, while the country liberal party is looking to return to power after 8 years in opposition. Both major parties have been trying to convince voters that they can effectively deal with issues such as crime and the cost of living.
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TVTranscript
00:00Election Eve here in the Northern Territory, so of course candidates are scrambling to
00:07be out and about in their local electorates on this final day, before of course tomorrow
00:13becomes the official voting day.
00:15But of course, Jan, actually a lot of people in the Northern Territory cast their votes
00:18early, get nice and organised, so around about 60 to 70 per cent already of Territorians
00:24already have cast their votes.
00:27And so it will be that sort of 30 per cent of people who both the major parties have
00:31told me they believe are often that trench of undecided voters will be heading to the
00:36polls today and tomorrow, really making up their minds.
00:40But yes, Leah Finocchiaro will be out in her electorate today, as will the Labor leader
00:45Eva Lawler, making their final pitch to voters.
00:50Our pitch has really been about choose change.
00:52It's about moving forward as a jurisdiction.
00:55We really need to reduce crime, rebuild our economy and restore our lifestyle.
01:00Labor have had three Chief Ministers in three years.
01:03They've been in power 19 of the last 23 years.
01:06So it's certainly our message to Territorians that it's time for change and we can't afford
01:11another four years of Labor.
01:12But we know this is going to be a really close contest.
01:18So Dan, that was Leah Finocchiaro, the country Liberals leader here in Darwin and the Top
01:24End, where she's been a very recognisable figure for many years.
01:28She's been in the Parliament for about 12 years, a former lawyer, a young mum, someone
01:33who was born and bred in the Territory, really hoping to lead a refreshed country Liberals
01:39party to victory.
01:41But Eva Lawler, also a local Territorian, a former school teacher, someone who's also
01:45been in the Parliament for a sizeable amount of time and is really hoping Territorians
01:49will listen to her message, which is that she is also trying to refresh the Labor Party
01:54bring a refreshed party to another term after quite a bit of leadership instability in the
02:01party over the past few years.
02:03We did invite her on the program on News Breakfast this morning, but she was out and about in
02:07her electorate and declined that invitation.
02:10Dan, it's really interesting also to see the new swathe of independent candidates contesting
02:17this election also in the Northern Territory.
02:20Quite a Teal-style campaign from Justine Davis running in Johnston in the northern
02:25suburbs of Darwin.
02:27Someone who's really recruited a lot of volunteers to her campaign, running on that message of
02:33change, integrity, wanting the governments to really put forward more serious policies
02:38on domestic violence.
02:39And we had an interesting talk this morning on News Breakfast, take a listen.
02:44We're a voice in Parliament for the people.
02:46We're there to hold both parties to account.
02:50To ask the really difficult questions.
02:52Ideally to help Parliament have collaborative conversations together to make really good
02:56decisions for the Territory.
02:59Yeah, that point, Bridget, there about the independents is going to be key, isn't it?
03:05There are a number of independents in the Parliament now.
03:09And from what I was hearing from your interview and what the discussions have been, that looks
03:14like it may very well increase, which will make it very difficult for either party to
03:19have a pathway to majority government.
03:23It could, Dan.
03:24I mean, either party needs to win 13 seats in the Legislative Assembly here in the Northern
03:29Territory.
03:30And look, in some ways, that's a tricky ask after a very difficult period here in the
03:35Northern Territory and really right across Australia with the cost of living front and
03:39centre with businesses still recovering after COVID, with concerns over investment in tourism,
03:46so many different issues here in the Northern Territory.
03:49And a sense that people just want a new era here in the Northern Territory, whether that's
03:53going to be led by the country liberals or by Labor or whether it's going to be quite
03:57a fragmented Parliament.
03:58We'll have to see on Saturday night or a bit later if we can't get the results on Saturday
04:03night.
04:04But yeah, as you say, Dan, really fascinating that we're sort of seeing that federal style
04:08independent campaign happening here in the Northern Territory.
04:12And it certainly has had an impact in some of the local seats where people are looking
04:17really not to either major party.
04:19They want perhaps a Greens candidate or an independent.
04:22And it will be very interesting to see what the makeup of seats looks like on Saturday
04:26night.
04:27Yes, certainly will.
04:28And for anyone who's not familiar, Bridget, the electorate sizes in the Northern Territory,
04:33the 25, are geographically big but population small of about 5,000 to 5,500 voters.
04:43And it means that if you have a couple of streets, as Kezia Purick, the independent
04:47member for Goita put it yesterday, or a big family changes political stripes, you can
04:51change that electorate.
04:53There are seats in the top end where you are that are very much considered to be in play,
04:58particularly Port Darwin and Johnston, where you were speaking to the independent, but
05:02also some in Catherine and Palmerston.
05:06Even the seat of Barkley, Tennant Creek, where I was born and raised, seems to be garnering
05:12quite a bit of attention this election.
05:14Which ones are you focusing on?
05:16Yeah, I think as you say there, Dan, Barkley is super interesting.
05:20And as you say, a couple of streets can decide some of these electorates.
05:25But in Barkley at the last election, the former councillor Steve Edgington won by five votes.
05:33Can you believe it?
05:34So that will very much be on a knife edge, both parties believe there, whether or not
05:39that will perhaps go back to Labor or stay with country liberals, we'll find out tomorrow.
05:45And you know, there is disparity, I suppose, with the bush seats and the city seats.
05:49There are different issues in the bush, you know, access, equity of housing and food continues
05:56to be an issue, as does, of course, community safety, education.
06:01And for those members of parliament, the distances they have to travel to go door knocking is
06:06vast, you know, sometimes the size of a small European country.
06:10So it really is, really an incredible thing to watch democracy unfold here in the Northern Territory.