NT chief poised for second term

NORTHERN Territory Chief Minister Clare Martin is set to deliver Labor a second term in government after extending a comfortable lead over the Country Liberal Party during an election campaign focused on Aboriginal itinerants, law and order and a 3000km powerline.

One week out from polling day, an exclusive Newspoll for The Weekend Australian found Ms Martin's Labor Government leads the CLP by 14percentage points, with 57 per cent support on a two-party-preferred basis.

That compares with 48.5 per cent in two-party-preferred terms at the 2001 territory election.

In contrast, the opposition CLP has recorded just 43 per cent voter support, down from 51.5 per cent four years ago.

Ms Martin now appears to be heading for a comfortable victory on June 18 following her surprise win in 2001 - the CLP's first loss after 27 years in power in the territory.

The Newspoll surveyed 1200 voters from 12 electorates in greater Darwin, which includes the marginal northern suburbs seats where territory elections are won and lost.

Labor's primary vote in these seats is 52 per cent, well ahead of its shock 2001 victory when it recorded 43.8 per cent support.

By comparison, the CLP's primary vote in the area has dropped from 48.3 to 40 per cent.

The Newspoll comes after two weeks of campaigning largely dominated by Labor's controversial plan to jail "habitual drunks" who refuse treatment.

Ms Martin has consistently denied the policy is racist, even though indigenous groups claimed it targeted Aboriginal itinerants, and Opposition Leader Denis Burke accused her of chasing the "redneck white vote".

More than half the voters, or 58 per cent, were satisfied with the way Ms Martin was doing her job as Chief Minister, while only 36 per cent said they were satisfied with Mr Burke's work as Opposition Leader.

Fifty-seven per cent said Ms Martin, a former ABC journalist, would make a better chief minister, compared with 31 per cent for Mr Burke. And 59 per cent of voters -- including 33 per cent of CLP supporters -- believe Labor will win next weekend's election.

The results suggest voters remain sceptical about the CLP's campaign promise to build a privately funded $1.3 billion, 3000km powerline from Darwin to Queensland, via Mt Isa.

Mr Burke said the move to connect the territory to the national electricity grid would cut local electricity prices by 30 per cent.

But some energy analysts claim it could have the opposite effect, while Labor has pointed out that South Australian electricity prices rose after that state joined the national network.

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Pubdate: Sat, 11 June 2005
Source: Australian, The (Australia)
Copyright: 2005 The Australian
Contact: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/files/aus_letters.htm
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Author: Ashleigh Wilson