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1997 Northern Territory general election

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1997 Northern Territory general election

← 1994 30 August 1997 (1997-08-30) 2001 →

All 25 seats of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly
13 seats needed for a majority
Turnout79.0 (Decrease 1.7 pp)
  First party Second party
 
Leader Shane Stone Maggie Hickey
Party Country Liberal Labor
Leader since 26 May 1995 16 April 1996
Leader's seat Port Darwin Barkly
Last election 17 seats 7 seats
Seats before 16 8
Seats won 18 7
Seat change Increase 2 Decrease 1
Popular vote 41,722 29,365
Percentage 54.5% 38.5%
Swing Increase 2.6 Decrease 2.9
TPP 57.9% 42.1%
TPP Increase 1.6 Decrease 1.6


Chief Minister before election

Shane Stone
Country Liberal

Elected Chief Minister

Shane Stone
Country Liberal

A general election was held in the Northern Territory on Saturday August 30, 1997, and was won by the incumbent Country Liberal Party (CLP).

Shane Stone continued as Chief Minister.

During the previous term, the CLP had lost the seat of Fannie Bay to Labor in a by-election. The CLP did not win the seat back, but managed to take MacDonnell from Labor and Nelson after Independent Noel Padgham-Purich retired.

Retiring MPs

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Labor

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Country Liberal

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Independent

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Results

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18 7
CLP Labor
PartyVotes%+/–Seats+/–
Country Liberal41,72254.67Increase 2.7618+1
Labor29,36538.48Decrease 2.907±0
Independents4,3275.67Decrease 0.210-1
Democrats4840.63Increase 0.550±0
Greens4200.55Decrease 0.200±0
Total76,318100.0025
Valid votes76,31894.83
Invalid/blank votes4,1615.17+1.2
Total votes80,479100.00
Registered voters/turnout101,88678.99-1.7
Country Liberal57.9
Labor42.1
Total
Popular vote
Country Liberal
54.67%
Labor
38.48%
Democrats
0.63%
Greens
0.55%
Independents
5.67%
Two-party-preferred vote
Country Liberal
57.90%
Labor
42.10%
Seats
Country Liberal
72.00%
Labor
28.00%

Candidates

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

Electorate Held by Labor candidate CLP candidate Other candidates
 
Arafura Labor Maurice Rioli Jacob Nayinggul
Araluen CLP Lilliah McCulloch Eric Poole
Arnhem Labor Jack Ah Kit Alan Wright Lance Lawrence (Ind)
Thomas Maywundjiwuy (Grn)
Barkly Labor Maggie Hickey Mark John Barry Nattrass (Ind)
Blain CLP Richard Bawden Barry Coulter
Braitling CLP Peter Brooke Loraine Braham
Brennan CLP Stephen Bennett Denis Burke
Casuarina CLP Douglas McLeod Peter Adamson
Drysdale CLP Paul Nieuwenhoven Stephen Dunham Stuart Edwards (Dem)
Fannie Bay Labor Clare Martin Michael Kilgariff
Goyder CLP Wayne Connop Terry McCarthy Strider (Ind)
Greatorex CLP Peter Kavanagh Richard Lim
Jingili CLP Catherine Phillips Steve Balch Stephen Barnes (Ind)
Ross Forday (Ind)
Karama CLP John Tobin Mick Palmer
Katherine CLP Michael Peirce Mike Reed Peter Byers (Ind)
MacDonnell Labor Mark Wheeler John Elferink Kenneth Lechleitner (Ind)
Millner CLP Peter O'Hagan Phil Mitchell Ian Mills (Ind)
June Mills (Grn)
Nelson Independent Theresa Francis Chris Lugg Dave Tollner (Ind)
Nhulunbuy Labor Syd Stirling Richard Davey
Nightcliff CLP Paul Henderson Stephen Hatton Theo Katapodis (Ind)
Betty McCleary (Ind)
Port Darwin CLP Geoffrey Carter Shane Stone Lex Martin (Ind)
Sanderson CLP Michael Atkinson Daryl Manzie
Stuart Labor Peter Toyne John Bohning
Victoria River CLP Paul La Fontaine Tim Baldwin
Wanguri Labor John Bailey Peter Styles

Seats changing hands

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Seat Pre-1997 Swing Post-1997
Party Member Margin Margin Member Party
MacDonnell   Labor Neil Bell 15.9 18.7 2.8 John Elferink Country Liberal  
Nelson   Independent Noel Padgham-Purich 3.1 3.7 0.6 Chris Lugg Country Liberal  

Post-election pendulum

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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
Nelson Chris Lugg CLP 0.6 v IND
Karama Mick Palmer CLP 1.7
Macdonnell John Elferink CLP 2.8
Nightcliff Stephen Hatton CLP 4.6
Fairly safe
Jingili Steve Balch CLP 6.7
Casuarina Peter Adamson CLP 7.9
Millner Phil Mitchell CLP 8.7
Sanderson Daryl Manzie CLP 9.3
Safe
Greatorex Richard Lim CLP 10.5
Goyder Terry McCarthy CLP 11.7
Drysdale Stephen Dunham CLP 13.3
Victoria River Tim Baldwin CLP 16.1
Braitling Loraine Braham CLP 16.4
Port Darwin Shane Stone CLP 17.0
Araluen Eric Poole CLP 19.2
Very safe
Blain Barry Coulter CLP 23.8
Brennan Denis Burke CLP 24.3
Katherine Mike Reed CLP 24.5
Labor seats
Marginal
Stuart Peter Toyne ALP 1.5
Wanguri John Bailey ALP 2.0
Fannie Bay Clare Martin ALP 3.0
Fairly safe
Arafura Maurice Rioli ALP 9.0
Arnhem Jack Ah Kit ALP 7.8
Barkly Maggie Hickey ALP 8.0
Safe
Very safe
Nhulunbuy Syd Stirling ALP 22.1

References

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