2001 Northern Territory general election

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2001 Northern Territory general election
Flag of the Northern Territory.svg
  1997 18 August 2001 (2001-08-18) 2005  

All 25 seats of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly
13 seats needed for a majority
Turnout80.56 (Increase2.svg 1.57 pp)
 First partySecond party
 
Clare Martin in 2001.jpg
Denis Burke in 2001.jpg
Leader Clare Martin Denis Burke
Party Labor Country Liberal
Leader since3 February 19998 February 1999
Leader's seat Fannie Bay Brennan
Last election7 seats18 seats
Seats won1310
Seat changeIncrease2.svg 6Decrease2.svg 8
Popular vote33,03836,926
Percentage40.6%45.4%
SwingIncrease2.svg 2.1Decrease2.svg 9.1
TPP 48.1%51.9%
TPP Increase2.svg 6.0Decrease2.svg 6.0

2001 Northern Territory Election.svg

Chief Minister before election

Denis Burke
Country Liberal

Elected Chief Minister

Clare Martin
Labor

A general election was held in the Northern Territory, Australia, on 18 August 2001. The centre-left Labor Party (ALP), led by Clare Martin, won a surprising victory over the Country Liberal Party (CLP). Before this, the CLP had held 18 out the 25 seats in the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly to the ALP's 7. After this election, the ALP held the majority with 13 seats to the CLP's 10, consigning the CLP to opposition for the first time since the Territory gained responsible government. Martin became Chief Minister, succeeding the CLP's Denis Burke.

Contents

While the CLP won a bare majority of the two-party vote, Labor picked up an unexpectedly large swing in the Darwin area. Labor took all but one seat in the capital, including all seven seats in the northern part of the city. Darwin's northern suburbs are somewhat more diverse than the rest of the city, and were on paper friendlier to Labor than the rest of the capital. In the process, Labor unseated four sitting MLAs; Labor had not ousted a sitting CLP member since 1980. The result was not known for several days, in part due to a very close race in Millner between CLP incumbent Phil Mitchell and Labor challenger Matthew Bonson. Ultimately, Bonson won by a margin of 82 votes, allowing Labor to win government by one seat.

Two independents won seats at this election. Former CLP member Loraine Braham won the seat of Braitling and Gerry Wood won the seat of Nelson.

Retiring MPs

ALP

CLP

Results

13210
ALPIndCLP
Summary of the Results of the 2001 Northern Territory general election, Legislative Assembly [1]
2001 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly.svg
PartyVotes%+/–Seats+/–
Country Liberal 36,92645.38Decrease2.svg 9.2910-8
Labor 33,03840.60Increase2.svg 2.1213+6
Independents 8,58310.55Increase2.svg 4.882+2
One Nation 1,0741.32New0±0
Democrats 6920.85Increase2.svg 0.220±0
Territory Alliance (2001)6220.76New0±0
Socialist Alliance 4320.53New0±0
Total81,367100.0025
Valid votes81,36795.73
Invalid/blank votes3,6274.27-0.90
Total votes84,994100.00
Registered voters/turnout105,50680.56+1.57
Labor 39,09948.05
Country Liberal 42,26851.95
Total81,367100.00
Popular vote
Country Liberal
45.38%
Labor
40.60%
One Nation
1.32%
Democrats
0.85%
Others
1.29%
Independents
5.10%
Two-party-preferred vote
Country Liberal
51.90%
Labor
48.10%
Seats
Labor
52.00%
Country Liberal
40.00%
Independents
8.00%

Candidates

Sitting members are listed in bold. Successful candidates are highlighted in the relevant colour.

ElectorateHeld by Labor CLP Other
Arafura Labor Marion Scrymgour Marius PuruntatameriJohn Christopherson (Ind)
Dorothy Fox (Ind)
Araluen CLP Michael Bowden Jodeen Carney John Bohning (Ind)
Meredith Campbell (Ind)
Arnhem Labor Jack Ah Kit Cliff Thompson
Alan Wright
Lance Lawrence (Ind)
Barkly Labor Elliot McAdam Bill CrossGavin Carpenter (Ind)
Blain CLP Peter Shew Terry Mills Joseph Mulqueeney (TAP)
Braitling CLP Peter BrookePeter Harvey Loraine Braham (Ind)
Peter Jarvis (Ind)
Eddie Taylor (Ind)
Brennan Labor Simon Hall Denis Burke Duncan Dean (Ind)
Casuarina CLP Kon Vatskalis Peter Adamson Necmi Bayram (TAP)
Craig Seiler (Dem)
Daly CLP Rob Knight Tim Baldwin Wayne Norris (ON)
Frank Spry (Dem)
Drysdale CLP Inger Peirce Stephen Dunham
Fannie Bay Labor Clare Martin Mary CunninghamPeter Johnston (SA)
Goyder CLP Alan Smith Peter Maley Diana Rickard (Ind)
Merv Stewart (ON)
Greatorex CLP Peter Kavanagh Richard Lim David Mortimer (Ind)
Johnston CLP Chris Burns Steve Balch Joanne Sangster (Dem)
Karama CLP Delia Lawrie Mick Palmer
Katherine CLP Michael Peirce Mike Reed Tony Coutts (Ind)
John Donnellan (Ind)
Rob Phillips (ON)
Macdonnell CLP Harold FurberPhilip Alice
John Elferink
Millner CLP Matthew Bonson Phil Mitchell Andrew Arthur (Ind)
Diane Baird (Ind)
Andrew Ivinson (TAP)
Nelson CLP Bob Hare Chris Lugg Tony Hardwick (ON)
Gerry Wood (Ind)
Nhulunbuy Labor Syd Stirling Peter ManningGordon Davey (ON)
David Mitchell (Ind)
Nightcliff CLP Jane Aagaard Jason HattonPeter Ivinson (TAP)
Gary Meyerhoff (SA)
Port Darwin CLP Chris Bond Sue Carter Nick Dondas (Ind)
Sanderson CLP Len Kiely Peter PonirisGary Haslett (Ind)
Susan Murdoch (TAP)
Stuart Labor Peter Toyne Ken Lechleitner
Wanguri Labor Paul Henderson Robyn CahillMeredith de Landelles (SA)

Seats changing hands

SeatPre-2001SwingPost-2001
PartyMemberMarginMarginMemberParty
Braitling  Country Liberal Loraine Braham 15.0 (CLP)N/A5.5* Loraine Braham Independent 
Casuarina  Country Liberal Peter Adamson 5.69.13.5 Kon Vatskalis Labor 
Johnston  Country Liberal Steve Balch 6.39.22.9 Chris Burns Labor 
Karama  Country Liberal Mick Palmer 2.66.43.7 Delia Lawrie Labor 
Macdonnell** Country Liberal John Elferink −1.610.18.5 John Elferink Country Liberal 
Millner  Country Liberal Phil Mitchell 8.79.91.2 Matthew Bonson Labor 
Nelson  Country Liberal Chris Lugg 14.717.42.7 Gerry Wood Independent 
Nightcliff  Country Liberal Stephen Hatton 4.611.77.1 Jane Aagaard Labor 
Sanderson  Country Liberal Daryl Manzie 9.912.93.0 Len Kiely Labor 
Wanguri*** Labor Paul Henderson −3.811.07.2 Paul Henderson Labor 

Electoral 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. [2]

Pre-election pendulum

Incumbent members who have become and remained an independent since the 1997 election are indicated in grey.

Members listed in italics did not re-contest their seat at the election.

Country Liberal seats
Marginal
Nelson Chris Lugg CLP0.6 v IND
Karama Mick Palmer CLP2.6
Wanguri Paul Henderson ALP3.8
Nightcliff Stephen Hatton CLP4.6
Casuarina Peter Adamson CLP5.6
Fairly safe
Johnston Steve Balch CLP6.3
Millner Phil Mitchell CLP8.7
Sanderson Daryl Manzie CLP9.9
Safe
Greatorex Richard Lim CLP11.3
Goyder Terry McCarthy CLP13.7
Daly Terry McCarthy CLP14.3
Braitling Loraine Braham CLP15.0
Port Darwin Sue Carter CLP17.2
Araluen Eric Poole CLP19.1
Very safe
Drysdale Stephen Dunham CLP21.8
Blain Terry Mills CLP24.1
Katherine Mike Reed CLP24.3
Brennan Denis Burke CLP25.0
Labor seats
Marginal
Stuart Peter Toyne ALP0.8
Macdonnell John Elferink CLP1.6
Fannie Bay Clare Martin ALP1.9
Fairly safe
Arafura Maurice Rioli ALP9.0
Arnhem Jack Ah Kit ALP7.7
Barkly Maggie Hickey ALP8.0
Safe
Very safe
Nhulunbuy Syd Stirling ALP22.1

Post-election pendulum

Labor seats
Marginal
Millner Matthew Bonson ALP1.2
Johnston Chris Burns ALP2.9
Sanderson Len Kiely ALP3.0
Casuarina Kon Vatskalis ALP3.5
Karama Delia Lawrie ALP3.7
Fairly safe
Nightcliff Jane Aagaard ALP7.1
Wanguri Paul Henderson ALP7.2
Safe
Fannie Bay Clare Martin ALP11.1
Arnhem Jack Ah Kit ALP11.4
Arafura Marion Scrymgour ALP11.5 v IND
Barkly Elliot McAdam ALP12.5
Nhulunbuy Syd Stirling ALP16.1
Very safe
Stuart Peter Toyne ALP21.3
Country Liberal seats
Marginal
Araluen Jodeen Carney CLP2.0
Fairly safe
Port Darwin Sue Carter CLP6.9
Macdonnell John Elferink CLP8.5
Greatorex Richard Lim CLP9.0
Safe
Daly Tim Baldwin CLP11.8
Goyder Peter Maley CLP13.8
Katherine Mike Reed CLP14.5
Drysdale Stephen Dunham CLP15.4
Blain Terry Mills CLP16.7
Brennan Denis Burke CLP18.2
Independent seats
Nelson Gerry Wood IND2.7 v CLP
Braitling Loraine Braham IND5.5 v CLP

References

  1. "Details of NT 2001 Election" (PDF). ABC.
  2. "Details of NT 2001 Election" (PDF). ABC.