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Saturday, 22 August is decision Mobile voting teams provide services The incumbent ALP government 25,000 eligible Territorians are not day in the Northern Territory. for people who are unable to attend a are attempting to win a second enrolled, with 16,000 considered to be voting centre, including those in aged four-year term. Aboriginal Territorians. While voting in the NT Legislative NORTHERN care facilities, hospital, prison or living Officially eight NT parties are To encourage people to enrol, Assembly general election is in remote communities. registered with NTEC — Animal Justice the NTEC has produced compulsory for all Territory residents NTEC remote voting teams will visit Party, ALP, Ban Fracking Fix Crime advertisements in English and over 18 years of age, a few things have nearly 180 locations this year. Protest Water (formerly Territory eight Aboriginal languages. changed due to covid-19. NT elections are held every four years Party), CLP, Federation Party Northern Enrolment registration closes at TERRITORY To ensure a safe election for all Territory (formerly Country Alliance), under preferential voting, where you 5pm on 31 July 2020. Territorians, the Northern Territory rank candidates in order of preference. NT Greens Inc, Shooters and Fishers Electoral Commission (NTEC) Party, and TA. To check your enrolment details, have a covid-19 management plan, Unlike federal elections, NT ballot the electoral boundaries, change your The Territory’s 1,420,000 square which includes: papers include a photo of the address or request a postal vote online ELECTION candidate, making it easier for voters kilometres has 25 Legislative Assembly visit www.ntec.net.gov.au or call • More mobile and early voting centres to make their choice. seats with an average of 5,555 NTEC on 1800 698 683. BY NANNETTE HOLLIDAY • A postal voting awareness campaign electors in each division. Two new The three main political parties divisions created since 2016 are Gwoja, A full list of all candidates will not be • Strict social distancing, single-use recognised in the Territory are the incorporating Stuart, and Mulka, available until nominations close on pencils and hand sanitiser at all Labor Party (ALP) led by Chief incorporating Nhulunbuy. 6 August. voting centres. Minister Michael Gunner, the Country For up-to-date information check the Liberal Party (CLP) led by Opposition As of 9 June, 139,516 Territorians were Mobile and early voting centres will enrolled to vote, 3,000 more than for website www.ntvotes2020 up to 22 operate from 10-21 August. Leader Lia Finocchiaro and the new August election day and afterwards for Territory Alliance (TA) led by a former the 2016 election. the results. TQ CLP Chief Minister Terry Mills. It’s estimated that approximately
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Chief Minister Michael they worked and the constant worries • $200 million luxury Waterfront hotel, Gunner has barely given about money. which will boost tourism and be attractive to business leaders a thought to the Northern His family fell on hard times when he was still at school and he remembers • Terabit Territory, which will make Territory election in August. “couch hopping” in the homes of the NT a leader in communication And that’s because he has relatives and family in Tennant Creek. and an attractive home for data been putting all his energy into “I remember one Christmas we had storage a matter of life and death – the nothing. The church came around • Sun Cable’s billion-dollar solar farm coronavirus pandemic. unannounced and gave us a hamper near Tennant Creek It is widely recognised that his strict of food. It made an enormous • NASA rocket launch pad near regime – closing borders, compulsory difference to us and I have never Nhulunbuy quarantine, shutting down business – forgotten that kindness.” • $1.5 billion Sea Dragon prawn farm has saved lives. One benefit of the pandemic is the The Territory recorded only a handful strong relationship built up between • a string of mines, including the of cases and no deaths. the Chief Minister and Prime Minister lithium project just south of Darwin Scott Morrison. Territory Government aid packages • the rejuvenation of Alice saved many businesses from going to “We always got on well behind the Springs CBD the wall. scenes – our relationship has grown • a multi-billion-dollar home-building stronger during this crisis and is now “I haven’t had much time to think initiative in remote communities more public.” about the election,” says Michael. “But • the Tennant Creek to Mt Isa railway Michael supports continuing the I’m certainly not complacent about “The Territory has got superb video-conferencing national cabinet it – be complacent about winning an fundamentals for a strong economy,” employed during the pandemic. election and you’re out the door. the Chief Minister says. “We need to “All our decisions have been about the He says the Prime Minister, state work hard to create jobs, which will pandemic, not the election. We threw premiers and chief ministers have attract more people here. shown they can all work towards the the kitchen sink at trying to handle “We need to diversify our economy same aims in the national interest. the pandemic.” and show that the Territory is a The Labor Chief Minister is defending The Chief Minister says the Territory good place for a low-emission his inner Darwin seat of Fannie Bay on will need a strong, experienced manufacturing industry. Government after the election to lead 22 August. “We need to increase our wealth so the reconstruction of the economy. He says handling the covid-19 crisis that we have the means to prosper and was “traumatic”. “We need to do the basic things, the close the Indigenous gap.” fundamentals, the hard work and then “We had to take some tough decisions. Michael has had great joy amid the the goals will come.” We had logical, rational grounds for pain of making what he calls “gut- those decisions but I knew business He says most elections have two wrenching decisions” about the people and their workers would be hurt.” elements: time for a change or stick coronavirus pandemic – his wife with what you’ve got. Michael says the harm done to small Kristy gave birth to their first child, a business particularly pained him – but “There’s a very strong argument for boy named Hudson. the alternative was putting lives at risk. sticking with Labor.” “Looking after a child is hard work but “The hardest decision was shutting Michael is optimistic about the so rewarding. When Hudson finally down every business with hardly Territory’s future, especially as goes to sleep, I say ‘thank heavens’ – any notice. I felt particularly upset so many projects are underway, and the next minute I’m looking at for restaurants because their profit including: photos of him. I miss him already and he’s only having a sleep. margins are so slim anyway.” • $300 million ship lift, which will Michael’s empathy with small support the creation of a marine “Kids take over your life. And they’re business comes from his childhood in industry such a delight.” TQ Alice Springs and Tennant Creek. • $100 million Charles Darwin His parents were small business University campus, which will help owners and he remembers how hard rejuvenate Darwin city centre
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TRACEY HAYES CLP CANDIDATE FOR FANNIE BAY
PHOTO: STEVE STRIKE
Tracey Hayes was the first the Territory, but the Territory is in female chief executive of the our blood, and we had to stay and ECONOMIC REFORM, fight for its future.” Territory’s cattle industry, URGENT BUDGET She chose the CLP because she named one of Australia’s 100 considers herself a centrist. REPAIR AND ROLLING Women of Influence, owned “I support small business, families UP MY SLEEVES WILL and ran a successful small building their futures together and ABSORB MY EVERY business and is the mother of industry underpinning the economy four children who are sixth- with minimal red tape. I’m a fierce WAKING HOUR. THAT generation Territorians. advocate for the Territory and IS MY PROMISE TO optimistic about its future.” Now she is running against The ALP has held the seat of Fannie TERRITORIANS Chief Minister Michael Gunner in Bay since 1995 and Tracey strongly the Darwin seat of Fannie Bay at believes it’s time for a change. the Northern Territory election on 22 August. “Too much is at stake to sit back and let things deteriorate further without What makes her think she can win? rolling up our sleeves and having a go “Fannie Bay is my home and it’s at making a positive contribution.” important to me to represent my The economy is always an issue in community,” she says. “I was only ever any election, but for the Northern going to run in Fannie Bay. Territory in 2020 it could be a “I’d also been considering my career significant factor. options — two corporate CEO roles, “The staggering mismanagement, both interstate or politics. As a family, lack of fiscal discipline and inept we discussed packing up and leaving leadership takes my breath away. >
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