Northern Territory Election Results

On 22 August 2020 Northern Territory Labor was returned to Government, having won a majority of seats in the Northern Territory (NT) Parliament.

On Monday 7 September the Chief Minister announced the composition of the new Ministry.

Results

A breakdown of the results is as follows:

PartyCurrent seat numberGain/lossPrimary voteSwing
 14A net loss of 3 seats, with a state-wide swing of -2.9% (primary).39.4%-2.8%
Australian Labor Party 
(ALP)
 8A net gain of 5 seats, with a swing of -0.2%.31.3%-0.6%
Country Liberal Party 
(CLP)
Independents 2 (included under ‘other’ below) 
 
Territory Alliance 1 12.9%+10.0%
 
Greens   0Swing of 1.4% per cent (primary) to the Greens.4 3%+1.4% 

Key influencing factors:

Territory Labor ran a campaign on its record of a decisive and successful health response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Labor campaign focussed on delivering an economic and health recovery from the pandemic, making the point that a strong health response allowed for a strong economic response.

Territory Alliance ran a campaign for change, reform of cannabis and vape laws, and a ban on fracking, a position that was a reversal of past support for fracking. The Greens appear to have benefited from the elevated discussion of fracking and environmental issues.

The CLP ran its campaign on crime and what it alleged were poor economic indicators.

Seat by seat results

Member electedElectoratePartyChange of seat
Lawrence CostaArafuraALPALP retain
Robyn LambleyAraluenTATA retain
Selena UiboArnhemALPALP retain
Steven EdgingtonBarklyCLPCLP gain
Mark TurnerBlainALPALP gain
Joshua BurgoyneBraitlingCLPCLP gain
Marie-Clare BoothbyBrennanCLPCLP gain
Lauren MossCasuarinaALPALP retain
Ian SloanDalyCLPCLP retain, new MP
Eva LawlerDrysdaleALPALP retain
Michael GunnerFannie BayALPALP retain
Mark MonaghanFong LimALPALP retain, new MP
Kezia PurickGoyderINDIND retain
Joel BowdenJohnstonALPALP retain
Ngaree Ah KitKaramaALPALP retain
Jo HerseyKatherineCLPCLP gain
Chansey PeachGwojaALPALP retain, significant redistribution
Bill YanNamatjiaCLPCLP gain
Gerald MaleyNelsonCLPCLP gain
Yingiya Mark GuyulaMulkaINDIND retain
Natasha FylesNightcliffALPALP retain
Paul KirbyPort DarwinALPALP retain
Kate WordenSandersonALPALP retain
Lia FinocchiaroSpillettCLPCLP retain
Nicole ManisonWanguriALPALP retain

History of Elections 1997-20126

The following table represents the voting trend in NT elections between 1997 and 2016. The Number of seats won by Parties and Independents include:

Party1997200120052008201220162020
ALP713191381814
Country Liberal18104111628
Independents221153

Notable seats

  • The seat of Blain was gained by the ALP; the seat was held by Territory Alliance leader Terry Mills by a margin of 1.4%.
  • Labor MP Chansey Peach held the seat of Gwoja, previously Stuart, which had a significant redistribution.

Chief Minister– The Hon Michael Gunner MP

The Hon Michael Gunner was elected as NT Chief Minister on 27 August 2016.

Mr Gunner was elected to the Darwin-based seat of Fannie Bay in 2008 and became NT Opposition Leader on 19 April 2015.

He is the formerly held the portfolios of of Shadow Treasurer, Shadow Minister for Major Projects, Northern Australia Development, Police, Fire and Emergency Services, Open and Transparent Government and Business.

Mr Gunner is a fourth generation Territorian who was born in Alice Springs, went to primary school in Tennant Creek, and graduated from Charles Darwin University.

He was involved in student politics and served as policy advisor to, then Chief Minister, Claire Martin.

When Ms. Martin retired in 2008, Mr Gunner took over the seat of Fannie Bay. Mr Gunner is the first Territorian born Chief Minister.

Further information

For more information, please contact your Hawker Britton consultant, Queensland and Northern Territory Director, Elliot Stein on +61 431 744 115 and [email protected] or the Queensland and Northern Territory Policy and Business Analyst Corbin Duncan on [email protected]

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