NT parties play down election prospects

After a campaign of 19 days, the Northern Territory today heads to the polls for an historic election.

It is the first time a Labor Government has faced an election in the Territory since self-government in 1978.

Despite predictions Labor will win a second term in office, the Northern Territory Chief Minister Clare Martin and the CLP Leader Denis Burke are playing down their prospects in today's election.

Ms Martin is continuing to talk up her number one playing card - Labor's new policy to remove habitual drunks from the streets by offering them the option of jail or rehabilitation.

The policy is likely to target Indigenous itinerants.

"I don't want talk about whether it's racist or not," she said.

"We've got a problem in the Territory and we've got to do something about it."

The CLP Leader Denis Burke has not budged from his key policy platform of a $1.3 billion powerline to cut electricity costs, a plan Labor has rubbished.

Mr Burke says the Country Liberal Party has put up a positive fight.

"And I can tell you that what ever happens, I'm pleased with the campaign - I've enjoyed it."

Ms Martin argues it will be a tight contest, especially in Darwin's northern suburbs.

"I think traditionally you've got the toughest fight in the northern suburbs, but every electorate is important," she said.
Underdog

This is the first election campaign where the CLP has been the underdog.

The ABC's election analyst says the value of incumbency for sitting members is starting to dissipate in Territory elections.

Antony Green has told Territory Stateline that people in Darwin's northern suburbs voted solidly for Labor in last year's Federal election.

He says they are likely to do the same today.

Mr Green says during the last Territory election in 2001, there was a uniform swing to Labor in Darwin, regardless of who the candidates were.

"There was no difference whether there was a sitting member or not," he said.

"It may be that we've overstated the sitting member factor in the past.

"Perhaps what we're seeing is as the Territory's grown, its politics are looking more like the rest of the country, and it's not quite as distinct as people paint the Territory as being."
Marginals

Political commentators are watching Central Australia's seven seats with much interest as several of them are considered winnable for either the CLP or Labor.

The two CLP seats seen as most vulnerable to a Labor attack are MacDonnell, where the sitting member John Elferink is being challenged by the former ATSIC commissioner Alison Anderson, and Greatorex where Richard Lim is trying to hold off Alice Springs mayor Fran Kilgariff.

Araluen, where Labor's John Gaynor is aiming to overthrow the CLP's Jodeen Carney, is one of the Territory's most marginal seats, and provides another intriguing contest.

Newshawk: http://www.napnt.org
Pubdate: Sat, 18 Jun 2005
Source: Australian Broadcasting Corporation (Australia Web)
Copyright: 2005 Australian Broadcasting Corporation
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