1983 Northern Territory general election

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1983 Northern Territory general election
Flag of the Northern Territory.svg
  1980 3 December 1983 (1983-12-03) 1987  

All 25 seats of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly
13 seats needed for a majority
Turnout81.6% (Increase2.svg 3.6 pp)
 First partySecond party
 
Paul Everingham.jpg
Bob Collins in 1981.jpg
Leader Paul Everingham Bob Collins
Party Country Liberal Labor
Leader since13 August 19772 November 1981
Leader's seat Jingili Arafura
Last election11 seats7 seats
Seats won196
Seat changeIncrease2.svg 8Decrease2.svg 1
Popular vote28,63717,505
Percentage58.2%35.6%
SwingIncrease2.svg 8.2Decrease2.svg 3.8
TPP 61.1%38.9%

1983 Northern Territory Election.svg

Chief Minister before election

Paul Everingham
Country Liberal

Elected Chief Minister

Paul Everingham
Country Liberal

A general election was held in the Northern Territory, Australia on Saturday 3 December 1983. The result was a landslide victory for the incumbent Country Liberal Party (CLP) under Chief Minister Paul Everingham over the Australian Labor Party (ALP) opposition under Opposition leader Bob Collins.

Contents

For this election, the size of the assembly was increased from 19 to 25.

The only independent of the Legislative Assembly, Dawn Lawrie, lost her seat of Nightcliff at this election to the CLP.

Retiring MPs

CLP

Results

196
CLPLabor
Summary of the results of the 1983 Northern Territory general election, Legislative Assembly [1] [2]
1983 NT Legislative Assembly.svg
PartyVotes%+/–Seats+/–
Country Liberal 28,63758.22Increase2.svg 8.2519Increase2.svg 8
Labor 17,50535.59Decrease2.svg 3.806Decrease2.svg 1
Independents 2,1554.38Decrease2.svg 3.720Decrease2.svg 1
Democrats 8871.80Increase2.svg 0.920Steady2.svg
Total49,184100.0025
Valid votes49,18496.98
Invalid/blank votes1,5323.02Decrease2.svg 0.37
Total votes50,716100.00
Registered voters/turnout62,18581.56Decrease2.svg 12.49
Country Liberal 61.1
Labor 38.9
Total
Popular vote
Country Liberal
58.22%
Labor
35.59%
Democrats
1.80%
Independents
4.38%
Two-party-preferred vote
Country Liberal
61.10%
Labor
38.90%
Seats
Country Liberal
76.00%
Labor
24.00%

Candidates

Sitting members are listed in bold. Successful candidates are highlighted in the relevant colour. Where there is possible confusion, an asterisk is used.

ElectorateHeld by Labor CLP Other
Arafura New Bob Collins Robert WoodwardKevin Doolan (Dem)
Araluen NewAllen Joy Jim Robertson Goff Letts (Ind)
Arnhem Labor Wes Lanhupuy David Amos
David Daniels
Klaus Roth (Dem)
Barkly CLP Charles Hallett Ian Tuxworth
Berrimah NewColin Young Barry Coulter
Braitling NewRoss Kerridge Roger Vale
Casuarina CLP Lionel Crompton Nick Dondas
Elsey CLP Trevor Surplice Roger Steele James Forscutt (Ind)
Fannie Bay Labor Pam O'Neil Marshall Perron Gerald Luck (Ind)
Flynn NewPeter Hughes Ray Hanrahan Pamela Gardiner (Ind)
Jingili CLP Martin Jacob Paul Everingham
Koolpinyah NewRobert Wesley-Smith Noel Padgham-Purich Murray Leeder (Dem)
Michael Sanderson (Ind)
Leanyer NewJohn Waters Mick Palmer
Ludmilla CLP Allan O'Neil Col Firmin
Macdonnell Labor Neil Bell Ian McKinlayTed Hampton (Dem)
Millner Labor Terry Smith Lorraine PalfyChristopher Fenner (Ind)
Nhulunbuy Labor Dan Leo Kevin Graetz
Nightcliff Independent Colin Dyer Stephen Hatton Dawn Lawrie (Ind)
Port Darwin CLP Russel Kearney Tom Harris
Sadadeen NewMorgan Flint Denis Collins
Sanderson Labor June D'Rozario Daryl Manzie
Stuart CLP Brian Ede Bobby Liddle
Victoria River Labor Dennis Bree Terry McCarthy*
Ronald Wright
Jack Doolan (Ind)
Maurie Ryan (Dem)
Wagaman NewBrian Reid Fred Finch
Wanguri NewPat Burke Don Dale Edward Miller (Ind)

Post-election pendulum

The following pendulum is known as the Mackerras pendulum, invented by psephologist Malcolm Mackerras. The pendulum works by lining up all of the seats held in the Legislative Assembly according to the percentage point margin they are held by on a two-party-preferred basis. This is also known as the swing required for the seat to change hands. Given a uniform swing to the opposition or government parties, the number of seats that change hands can be predicted.

Country Liberal seats
Marginal
Sanderson Daryl Manzie CLP4.8
Fairly safe
Nightcliff Stephen Hatton CLP7.9 v IND
Ludmilla Col Firmin CLP8.2
Fannie Bay Marshall Perron CLP9.8
Safe
Barkly Ian Tuxworth CLP10.3
Wagaman Fred Finch CLP11.1
Wanguri Don Dale CLP11.4
Victoria River Terry McCarthy CLP15.2
Casuarina Nick Dondas CLP15.4
Elsey Roger Steele CLP15.8
Leanyer Mick Palmer CLP15.9
Araluen Jim Robertson CLP16.2 v IND
Port Darwin Tom Harris CLP18.6
Berrimah Barry Coulter CLP18.7
Flynn Ray Hanrahan CLP19.2
Very safe
Koolpinyah Noel Padgham-Purich CLP20.1
Sadadeen Denis Collins CLP20.5
Jingili Paul Everingham CLP21.8
Braitling Roger Vale CLP27.8
Labor seats
Marginal
Nhulunbuy Dan Leo ALP1.2
Millner Terry Smith ALP4.4
Fairly safe
Arnhem Wes Lanhupuy ALP8.6
Macdonnell Neil Bell ALP8.9
Safe
Arafura Bob Collins ALP11.7
Stuart Brian Ede ALP14.3

References

  1. Wade-Marshall, Dean Jaensch, Deborah (1994). Point of order! : the Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory 1974-1994. Darwin: Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory. ISBN   0731520769.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. P. Loveday, Dean Jaensch (1983). A Landslide Election, the NT 1983. Darwin: ANU North Australia Research Unit. ISBN   0867844396.