ISBN: 978-0-9804103-2-7
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No part may be reproduced by any process, except in accordance with the Copyright Act 1968. Please direct all enquiries to the Northern Territory Electoral Commission – 1800 MYVOTE.
DARWIN ALICE SPRINGS
2nd Floor AANT Building MyVote Central 79-81 Smith Street Suite 3, Yeperenye Centre DARWIN NT 0800 Gregory Terrace GPO Box 2419 ALICE SPRINGS NT 0870 DARWIN NT 0801 PO Box 2304 ALICE SPRINGS NT 0871
Phone: (08) 8999 5617 Phone: (08) 8953 7969 1800 MYVOTE 1800 MYVOTE
Fax: (08) 8999 5845 Fax: (08) 8953 0702
Website: www.ntec.nt.gov.au
Email: [email protected]
Hon. Jane Aagaard MLA Speaker Northern Territory Legislative Assembly Parliament House DARWIN NT 0800
Dear Madam Speaker
In accordance with Section 313 of the Electoral Act 2004, I am pleased to provide a report on the conduct of the 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election.
As you are aware, the Electoral Act requires you to table this report in the Legislative Assembly within three sittings days after its receipt. Additional copies have been provided for this purpose.
Yours sincerely
Bill Shepheard Electoral Commissioner
19 November 2009
ELECTORAL COMMISSIONER’S FOREWORD
The 2008 Legislative Assembly General Election was the second general election to be conducted under the Electoral Act 2004. The first was conducted by the Commission in 2005 which made a number of recommendations for legislative change following that particular poll. The Act remained unaltered, however, and many of the difficulties and challenges faced in 2005 had to be dealt with again in 2008.
The Legislative Assembly election was also the third major electoral event conducted by the NT Electoral Commission in the space of only a few months in 2008. The municipal general elections were conducted in March of that year and the 2008 Legislative Assembly redistribution of electoral boundaries, including the painstaking Photo: Bill Shepheard task of realigning the electoral roll to the new boundaries, had only just been completed when the election was called. The Legislative Assembly poll was also suddenly wedged between those preceding electoral commitments and the inaugural shire and rural council general elections scheduled for October 2008 – resulting in virtually a full calendar year of rolling major electoral events for the Commission.
The outcome of the 2008 Legislative Assembly General Election was also very close. In fact, the government’s majority rested on the result in the seat of Fannie Bay, which was eventually decided by only a small number of votes. Considerable public interest in the result of the poll was consequently generated and this prolonged pressure on the Commission’s staff and systems.
The raw voter turnout figure (no. of voters/no. of enrolled electors) declined at the 2008 election. This became a hot topic in the media for some time after the poll, with a great deal of speculation being proffered in the media about the causes. Later, more measured and careful analysis of the situation suggests that a number of factors were at play in this decline, not the least of which was the quality of the roll of electors and less mobilisation activity in remote areas by candidates and parties.
After the 2008 general election, amendments to the Electoral Act were implemented to provide for fixed general election dates and an extension by a day to the election period. Those changes have to a large degree dealt with a few of the recommendations made by the Commission in its report on the 2005 Legislative Assembly election; however, as this report records, little has changed in respect to the Commission’s support for the remainder of those earlier recommendations.
Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to publicly thank staff from agencies inside and outside of the NT public service for their support, including officers from the NT Department of Business and Employment and the Australian, Tasmanian and Victorian Electoral Commissions. I particularly thank and congratulate the staff members of the NT Electoral Commission for their extraordinary commitment and resilience during the general election and in the other major electoral events that surrounded it. The workload and demands placed upon them were unprecedented and to deal with it all so competently and successfully is truly a great credit to them.
Bill Shepheard Electoral Commissioner
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PART 1 ELECTION REPORT AND APPENDICES
1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS 1 1.1 Key Result Area – Enrolment 1 1.2 Key Result Area – Education and Information 1 1.3 Key Result Area - Elections 2 1.4 Key Result Area – Corporate Governance 4
2. BACKGROUND TO THE ELECTIONS 6 2.1 Role of the NTEC 6 2.2 Electoral Act 2004 and Regulations 6 2.3 Operational Environment 7 2.4 Party Registration 9 2.5 Points of Interest 9 2.6 Election Timetable in Operation for the 2008 Election 10
3. KEY RESULT AREA - ENROLMENT 11 3.1 Encoding Redistribution Changes 11 3.2 Redistribution Advice to Electors 11 3.3 Enrolment Program 11 3.4 Enrolment Transactions During the Election Period 12 3.5 Roll Products 14
4. KEY RESULT AREA – EDUCATION AND INFORMATION 15 4.1 The NTEC Role 15 4.2 Information Strategy 15 4.3 Advertising 16 4.4 Information 18 4.5 Media Communication 18 4.6 Call Centre 18 4.7 Website 19 4.8 Public Events 20
5. KEY RESULT AREA – ELECTIONS 21 5.1 Candidate Packs 21 5.2 Nominations and Draw for Ballot Paper Positions 21 5.3 Ballot Paper Printing 21 5.4 Nomination Outcomes 22 5.5 Postal Voting 24 5.6 Pre-poll Voting 28 5.7 Mobile Polling 30 5.8 Static Polling 31 5.9 Absent Voting 33 5.10 Unenrolled Voters 34 5.11 Electors with Special Needs 34 5.12 Elector Participation 35 5.13 Informal Voting 39 5.14 Two Candidate Preferred Count (TCP) 40 5.15 Distribution of Preferences 40 5.16 Declaration of the Polls and Writ Return 40 5.17 Election Outcomes 40 5.18 Disclosure 41 5.19 Campaign Material Issues Arising During the 2008 Election 41 5.20 Processing of Apparent Non-Voters 43
6. KEY RESULT AREA – CORPORATE GOVERNANCE 45 6.1 Human Resource Recruitment, Support and Management 45 6.2 Regional Centre Deployment 47 6.3 Information Technology and Communication Support 47 6.4 Election Budget 48 6.5 Overall Expenditure 48
7. LEGISLATIVE ISSUES 52 7.1 Recommendations in the 2005 Election Report 52 7.2 Commonwealth and Territory Legislation/Practice 52
APPENDICES 55 A. Status of NTEC Action Items Identified in the 2005 Election Report 56 C. Enrolments as at Close of Rolls 1994 to 2008 Elections 60 D. Summary of Public Awareness Activities 61 E. Candidates and their Affiliation by Division 62 F. Postal Voting Statistics 63 (i) Postal Voting Packs Issued for Each Division 63 (ii) Postal Vote Certificates Returned/Cancelled/Not Returned by Division 64 (iii) Postal Vote Certificate Envelopes – Returns, Rejections/Admissions 65 G. Mobile Polling Schedules for Each Division by Team 66 H. Unenrolled Declaration Envelope Details by Division 72 I. Informal Ballot Paper Details by Division 73 (i) Informal Ballot Papers at LA Elections 2005 - 2008: Rural/Remote Divisions 73 (ii) Informal Ballot Papers at LA Elections 2005 - 2008: Urban Divisions 74 (iii) Informal Ballot Papers at LA Elections 2005 – 2008 74 J. Two Candidate Preferred (2CP) Full Distribution Margin 75 K. ALP/CLP Preferred Count by Division 76 L. Swing-to-Lose (%) after 2008 Election 77 M. Summary of the JSCEM Recommendations 78
PART 2 NT AND DIVISION SNAPSHOTS 81
PART 1 Election Report and Appendices
1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS
The 2008 general election was held early in the fourth year of the NT Parliamentary term. The writ for the election was issued on 22 July 2008 and provided for the following:
Close of rolls 8 pm 24 July 2008 Close of nominations 12 Noon 28 July 2008 Polling day 9 August 2008 Return of writ By 15 September 2008
1.1 Key Result Area – Enrolment
Over the three day close of rolls period to 24 July 2008, a total of 2066 forms were received. This included 1002 additions to the NT roll, with the balance being for change of address within the Territory or other amendments to enrolment details. At the close of rolls, 119 814 electors were enrolled to vote, a 6.0% increase over the previous 12 months and an increase of 7860 electors or 7.0% on the number registered at the 2005 general election.
The quality of the roll at the election suffered to some extent by the combination of the sudden calling of the election and a change of policy by the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) that effectively extended turnaround time for the removal of electors from the roll by objection. Fixed general election dates in the future will largely address this issue.
The gazettal of the redistribution report and ensuing realignment of electoral boundaries had only just been completed when the election was called. As a consequence, plans to notify electors affected by the changes to boundaries had to be reviewed and modified. Fixed general election dates will now ensure that future redistributions, realignment of boundaries and elector notification can take place in a more planned and orderly way.
1.2 Key Result Area – Education and Information
Immediately on the announcement of the date of the election, the Northern Territory Electoral Commission (NTEC) commenced the public awareness campaign. In addition to the statutory notices placed in the press, advertising focussed on providing electors with information on the close of rolls deadline and changes to divisional boundaries arising from the 2008 redistribution. Closer to polling day, advertising concentrated on voting services, including the availability of early and postal voting, details of mobile and static polling places and access information for those with a disability.
The advertising incorporated regular reference to the NTEC’s Call Centre (CC) and website for further information. The CC received 3425 calls during the election. The NTEC upgraded its website prior to the election to make it a major source of information for the public. A total of 57 216 page view enquiries were recorded. The website was also used to provide general information to candidates and political parties and, after the close of polls, details of the counts and final results.
1.3 Key Result Area - Elections
Nominations
At the close of nominations a total of 66 candidates had nominated. There were 13 divisions with three or more nominations. Only one nomination was received for each of the divisions of Arnhem and Macdonnell. Consequently, no elections were required in those electorates and the nominees were declared elected at the declaration of nominations on 28 July 2008.
Postal Voting
The NTEC issued 4072 postal vote packs during the election. Of those, 2403 were lodged with Australia Post on 31 July 2008, the first day allowed for in the Act. This first posting was made up of mail to all registered postal voters and all other applicants for postal votes on hand at the time. It was lodged, where necessary, at post offices in Katherine, Tennant Creek and Alice Springs to ensure local electors and the 266 postal voters in remote areas received their votes via the first possible mail delivery. All international mail was despatched by express post. By the last date for return of postal votes (15 August 2008), a total of 2916 postal vote envelopes had been mailed back by electors, 71.6% of the mail-out.
An examination of voting records indicated that almost 50% of electors who failed to return a postal certificate envelope in fact voted at a pre-poll, mobile or static polling place. A further 10% of mail was returned unclaimed as the addressee had left their forwarding address. The balance of unreturned postal vote certificates was made up mainly of electors who were always at risk of not being able to meet deadlines due to their applications being made close to polling day or from overseas. The NTEC was, however, aware that registered postal voters serviced by a small number of mail contractors operating out of Katherine and Mt Isa received their postal votes too late for return, despite lodgement on 31 July. In response, arrangements were made for Australia Post to expedite the return of mail to Darwin and where practical, the NTEC collected postal vote mail directly from remote properties to the south of Katherine.
Pre-Poll Voting
Pre-poll voting centres operated in the week before polling day at the NTEC offices, at five other locations in Darwin and regional centres and at all interstate capital cities. Pre-polling was also provided at Jabiru on the day before polling day. There was a significant increase in pre-polling with a total of 9217 votes cast, which was 11% of all ballot papers counted at the election. A steady and significant increase in pre-polling services has been experienced in all electoral jurisdictions for some time now. This growing demand for pre-polling services receives a further spike if, as was the case with this poll, the election clashes with holiday periods or other times where large numbers of people can be expected to be absent from their enrolled address.
2 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
Mobile Polling
Mobile teams provided attendance voting facilities to electors at 196 communities in remote areas and 21 institutions including hospitals, prisons and aged care facilities. A total of 23 mobile teams were employed, travelling by vehicle where possible, or by aircraft to the most remote sites and island communities. The teams issued 8408 ordinary ballot papers or 10.1% of all ballot papers counted. Despite there being no polling for Arnhem and Macdonnell, an abbreviated mobile schedule operated in these divisions to pick up absent votes for other divisions. Mobile polling remained the most resource intensive component of the election, requiring detailed planning, prominent election awareness activities and direct liaison with individual communities.
Static Polling
A total of 52 349 ordinary ballot papers (62.7% of the total) were lodged at 47 polling places, including three joint polling places appointed for adjoining divisions.
Absent Voting
Electors unable to get to a polling place within their division are able to claim an absent vote and have their name marked off a Territory wide list of electors. At the 2008 election, 10 709 absent votes were cast (12.8% of all ballot papers).
Declaration Voting
A total of 981 declaration votes were issued to persons who claimed an entitlement but whose name could not be found on the roll. Of those, 105 votes were admitted to the count after subsequent investigatory checks against the roll.
The Counting of Votes
The scrutiny and count of ballot papers received at static polling places and to hand from postal, pre-poll, mobile and absent voting were undertaken at the conclusion of polling on 9 August 2008. The preliminary results, including a two candidate preferred count, were immediately phoned to the tally room at the Chan Building in Darwin and posted on the NTEC’s website. Over the following week, all ballot papers were subject to further checking and declaration vote envelopes, including postal vote envelopes, were examined to determine if the ballot papers contained were eligible to be admitted to the scrutiny. Immediately after the final admission of postal votes on 15 August, a tally of all divisions took place and a distribution of preferences for thirteen divisions with more than two candidates was undertaken and all results posted to the NTEC website. The declaration of the polls took place on Monday 18 August 2008 and the writ was returned immediately to the Administrator.
3 Participation
The participation rate was 75.7% of enrolled electors, a decline compared to previous general elections. The biggest fall occurred in the Alice Springs divisions and the three divisions covering the Darwin inner suburbs.
The decline was the result of a complex mix of factors with the most important influences being the quality of the roll, the timing of the election and some unique circumstances experienced in remote areas, such as the federal intervention and an apparent decrease in political activity at remote centres.
Of the 26 853 apparent non-voters, 33% provided the NTEC with a valid and sufficient reason for not voting due mainly to their being away from their address during the election. For a further 25% of electors, non-voting mail was returned endorsed ‘left address’. The volume of returned non-voter mail supported separate evidence that many electors had left their enrolled address, including a significant proportion that had moved interstate.
The establishment of fixed elections in future will enable strategies to be applied that will result in a better roll at the next election. The funding of the Indigenous Electoral Participation Program (IEPP) by the AEC in 2010 and the establishment of a joint office in Alice Springs should also lead to improved enrolment outcomes in remote areas and regional centres.
By mid 2009, about two thirds of apparent non-voters at the 2008 election had either provided a valid and sufficient reason for not voting, paid a $25 fine or had action terminated as a result of further information from other sources. Court action against a small number of non-voters is expected to be concluded early in 2010.
1.4 Key Result Area – Corporate Governance
Staffing
The staff structure and titles of the various categories of polling officials were reviewed prior to the election. The new structure now reflects current electoral responsibilities undertaken by various officials and is line with the structures and titles commonly applied in other jurisdictions.
Seventeen (17) staff members were seconded from other electoral authorities to fill specialist election positions such as regional co-ordinators, project team leaders in the Commission’s Darwin office and mobile team leaders. Regional co-ordinators were posted to Alice Springs, Katherine and Nhulunbuy. Arrangements for Tennant Creek were co-ordinated from Alice Springs.
Staff filled 430 positions, an increase of 28 from the 2005 election.
Election Costs
The total cost of the 2008 election was $1 294 675, an increase of 31.4% on 2005. The increase was due to inflation over the period, the timing of the election, secondment of experienced electoral personnel from intra and interstate, pressure on accommodation, increased charges during holidays and the dry season and increased costs arising from competing government programs.
4 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
RECOMMENDATIONS
It is recommended that:
All recommendations contained in the 2005 Legislative Assembly General Election Report (with the exception of Recommendations 1, 4 and 8) be adopted; A separate and expanded election timetable be provided in the Electoral Act for an extraordinary general election and that this timetable provide for at least an additional week in the election period; The NTEC be provided with an advance in the 2011-12 financial year to support the preliminary planning for the 2012 Legislative Assembly election; The NTEC be authorised to impose a fine for failure to vote and that the necessary legislation be put in place to enable the NTEC to forward cases of non-payment of these fines to a fines recovery unit along the same lines as applies in some States; and The Electoral Act be reviewed to achieve harmonisation, where appropriate, with the electoral legislation of the Commonwealth and other States/Territories.
NTEC ACTION ITEMS
The NTEC commits to implementing the following suggested improvements in the preparation for the next general election:
Establishing a joint enrolment program with the AEC over a four year cycle that improves the accuracy of the rolls for NT general elections and other major electoral events; Lodging of postal votes addressed via Mt Isa directly at Mt Isa post office as part of the initial regional dispatches; Scheduling a simultaneous review of the general postal voter register and promotion of registered postal voting services in the lead up to future fixed elections; Exploring possible enhancements to the lay-out, detail and presentation of the postal vote certificate envelope to minimise any involuntary errors in completion by electors; Appointing pre-poll centres at Mt Isa and selected overseas locations; Appointing mobile polling locations at appropriate locations outside NT borders; Exploring opportunities to provide more interpreter support at polling places; and Exploring on-line training possibilities for polling staff with other State/Territory Commissions.
5 2. BACKGROUND TO THE ELECTIONS
2.1 Role of the NTEC
The NT Electoral Commission (NTEC) impartially conducts elections in accordance with the relevant legislation and is the prescribed provider for Northern Territory Legislative Assembly (LA) elections under Section 27 of the Electoral Act.
2.2 Electoral Act 2004 and Regulations
The 2005 Legislative Assembly general election was the first conducted under the Electoral Act of 2004. The Electoral Commissioner’s 2005 report on that election1 contained a number of recommendations for changes to the Act. No changes had been made to the legislation prior to the 2008 Legislative Assembly election and the election was conducted on the same legislative basis as the general election in 2005.
Following the 2008 election, the Government made several amendments to the Act2 in relation to fixing a date for a general election. In addition to fixing future general election dates, the new legislation directly or indirectly provided for the following:
Issue of postal votes as soon as possible after the close of nominations; Earlier commencement of pre-poll voting; Extension of the mobile polling program by one day; Extension of the election period by one day; and Consequent amendments to provisions for the holding of an extraordinary general election.
The legislative changes effected after the 2008 election, have addressed a few recommendations made in the 2005 election report. Generally speaking, the remainder of the recommendations still carry the support of the Commission. Section 7 provides an updated commentary on the status of 2005 general election recommendations and the Commission’s current standpoint.
RECOMMENDATION 1 It is recommended that all recommendations contained in the 2005 Legislative Assembly General Election Report (with the exception of Recommendations 1, 4 and 8) be adopted.
1 2005 Legislative Assembly General Election Report, NTEC 2007 2 Electoral Amendment Act 2009, assented to 12 March 2009
6 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
The amendments to the Electoral Act providing a fixed date for general elections allow a lead-in time for both NTEC administrators and electors to prepare for the event. However, under the Act, any future extraordinary general election will need to be conducted in the same, short election period but administrators and electors will not necessarily be afforded much notice.
RECOMMENDATION 2 It is recommended that a separate and expanded election timetable be provided in the Electoral Act for an extraordinary general election and that this timetable provide for at least an additional week in the election period.
2.3 Operational Environment
Following the 2005 election, the NTEC undertook to review a number of key areas including:
The application of roll transfers from redistributions; Targeting electors affected by redistribution changes; Services to defence forces and disabled electors; Election documentation; Regional office infrastructure; The methodology for non-voter payments; and Staffing, training and remuneration issues.
All of these areas have been addressed since the 2005 poll and a status report on the action items is contained in Appendix A.
The NTEC was caught up in a heavy workload at the time the election was announced. It had conducted elections in March 2008 for municipalities and was preparing for the inaugural general elections for the new shires and the Litchfield Council in October 2008. In addition, the redistribution of NT Legislative Assembly boundaries was conducted during the first six months of 2008.
The Augmented Redistribution Committee declared the new boundaries for the Territory’s 25 electoral divisions by Gazette Notice on 16 June 2008. All elector enrolments had to be reviewed and allocated to the new divisional boundaries on gazettal and those boundaries came into effect on polling day. A summary of changes to each division under the redistribution is shown in Appendix B.
On Monday, 21 July 2008, the Chief Minister announced that a general election for the Legislative Assembly would be held on 9 August 2008. The writ for the election was issued the next day. This was a similar turn of events to the general election in 2005, although then speculation of an election had persisted for some time before the announcement, with the election date, in fact, proclaimed in the NT News four days before the official announcement.
The volume of work involved in conducting these four major electoral events fully stretched the small permanent staff resource of the Commission. The following table highlights the workload and competing priorities that existed during the year.
7 Table 1: NTEC Workload 2008
Event Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Redistribution
Municipal Elections
Legislative Assembly Election
Rural Council Elections (incl Roll Preparation)
With the recent changes to the NT Electoral Act providing for fixed term elections, the next NT Legislative Assembly election is scheduled for August 2012. Municipal and shire council elections are scheduled for March 2012 and the redistribution of Legislative Assembly electoral boundaries from February to August 2011. The Commissioner is also required to play a consultative role in council representation reviews, which are scheduled to take place prior to March 2011.
The conduct of the equivalent of two NT wide general elections within five months in 2012 will place an extra workload on the Commission. However, the conduct of those significant events, in the one year, will also provide an opportunity to assemble support staff earlier to assist with planning. It will also allow the NTEC to capitalise on economies of scale, reduce duplication of effort and more fully benefit from knowledge gleaned from recent proximate operational experience.
The establishment of a fixed date for LA general elections will demand a fresh operational approach to the preparations for and conduct of those elections in the same year as the local government periodic elections. In addition, much of the planning will need to be done close to the events and as the opportunity presents itself, when the possibility of local government by-elections ceases in March 2011.
RECOMMENDATION 3 It is recommended that the NTEC be provided with an advance in the 2011-12 financial year to support the preliminary planning for the 2012 Legislative Assembly election.
The following operational recommendations made in the 2005 LA election report are also still supported by the Commission:
Preparation of a detailed financial estimate for the conduct of a NT LA general election and that this estimate be submitted for approval during the final year of the life of the Parliament; Exploration of options to achieve permanent co-location with the AEC. The NTEC has been earmarked for relocation in the near future and it supports co-location, if possible; and Review and upgrade/replacement of the Commission's Election Management System (EMS).
8 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
2.4 Party Registration
Three political parties were registered at the time the election was called. These were:
Australian Labor Party NT; Northern Territory Country Liberal Party; and The Greens.
The previously registered Socialist Alliance Party was deregistered in June 2007 on the grounds that it was no longer federally registered.
2.5 Points of Interest
At the 2005 NT general election, the Australian Labor Party (ALP) secured 19 of the 25 Legislative Assembly seats. The Country Liberal Party (CLP) won four seats and independents the remaining two seats. Seven seats were won with a majority of less than 6%, three seats with a majority of 6 -10%, and 15 seats with a majority of more than 10%. The table below provides details.
Table 2: Seat Status following the 2005 Election
% Range Status Divisions (Affiliation)
0-<6% Marginal (7) Braitling (Ind), Brennan (ALP), Drysdale (ALP), Goyder(ALP), Greatorex (CLP), Katherine (CLP), Port Darwin (ALP)
6%-10% Fairly Safe (3) Araluen (CLP), Blain (CLP), Sanderson (ALP)
>10% Safe (15) Arafura (ALP), Arnhem (ALP), Barkly (ALP), Casuarina (ALP), Daly (ALP), Fannie Bay (ALP), Johnston (ALP), Karama (ALP), Macdonnell (ALP), Millner (ALP), Nelson (Ind), Nhulunbuy (ALP), Nightcliff (ALP), Stuart (ALP), Wanguri (ALP)
The 2008 redistribution resulted in changes to all seats except Arafura. In the process, a new seat of Fong Lim replaced the seat of Millner.
Interest in the election was generated in a number of seats due to incumbent members retiring and high profile candidates announcing their candidature.
Incumbents in five seats did not seek re-election:
Three ALP members - the previous Chief Minister (Ms Clare Martin) and Deputy Chief Minister (Mr Syd Stirling) and a former Cabinet Minister (Mr Elliot McAdam); One CLP member - the member for Katherine (Ms Faye Miller); and One Independent - the member for Braitling and Speaker for the House (Ms Loraine Braham).
Mr David Tollner, the former Federal Member for Soloman was selected by the CLP to contest the new seat of Fong Lim against Mr Matthew Bonson the former ALP member for Millner, the seat which Fong Lim replaced.
9 2.6 Election Timetable in Operation for the 2008 Election
LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Timetable Requirement GENERAL ELECTION 2008 under the Electoral Act 2004
ISSUE OF WRIT - Tuesday 22 July 2008 Issue of Writ [Section 27] The writ authorises the Northern Territory Electoral Commission to conduct an election in accordance with the Electoral Act 2004. The writ sets the date for the close of Close of Electoral Roll nominations, polling day, the return of the writ and triggers all 8pm Thursday 24 July 2008 other key milestones and operational deadlines.
Nominations must close at 12 noon, 6 days after the issue of the writ. CLOSE OF NOMINATIONS Polling day must be 18 days after the issue of the writ. 12 noon Monday 28 July 2008
Close of the Electoral Roll [Section 8]
Draw for Ballot Paper Positions The electoral roll is closed during the period starting at 8pm, Monday 28 July 2008 2 days after the date of issue of the writ for an election and ending at the close of polling for an election.
Draw for Ballot Paper Positions [Section 28 (a)]
Commencement of Mobile Polling and A draw for ballot paper positions is conducted as soon as
Postal Voting practicable after the close of nominations.
Thursday 31 July 2008 Mobile Voting [Section 3]
Mobile polling facilities may be provided in remote areas and special institutions. Mobile polling may start 9 days after the Commencement of Pre-poll Voting date of the issue of the writ for an election and must end no Monday 4 August 2008 later than 6pm on polling day.
Postal Voting [Sections 62 and 112]
Cessation of Issue of Postal Votes Postal votes may be dispatched 9 days after the date of the
issue of the writ. to Overseas Addresses 112 6pm Tuesday 5 August 2008 An elector may cast a postal vote at any time during the postal voting period which concludes at 6 pm on polling day.
Postal votes must be received by 6pm on the Friday
following polling day in order to be included in the count. Cessation of Issue of Postal Votes
to Domestic Addresses Pre-Poll Voting [Section 3] 6pm Thursday 7 August 2008 Pre-polling starts 13 days after the date of the issue of the writ and ends at 6pm on the day before polling day.
POLLING DAY Declaration of the Poll(s) [Section 131] 8am to 6pm Saturday 9 August 2008
Results of the election are required to be publicly declared Cessation of Receipt of Postal Votes as soon as practicable after they have been determined.
6pm Friday 15 August 2008 Return of the Writ
The writ traditionally sets out the date for its return, usually
about 5 weeks after polling day. Declaration of the Polls
10am Monday 18 August 2008 Disputed Returns [Section 236]
An application to dispute a return must be made to the Supreme Court no later than 21 days after the date fixed for RETURN OF WRIT - Monday 18 August 2008 the return of the writ.
10 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
3. KEY RESULT AREA - ENROLMENT
3.1 Encoding Redistribution Changes
The redistribution of LA electoral boundaries was gazetted on 16 June 2008. It made extensive variations to divisional boundaries in all parts of the Territory and approximately 18 000 electors had to be transferred to a new division.
The application of the new boundaries to the roll commenced immediately on gazettal and all addresses and localities were aligned and electors transferred to the correct division by 14 July 2008. Before the final switch to the new boundaries, NTEC and AEC staff undertook a review of all address information held on the roll to ensure that it accurately reflected the redistribution changes. Despite the short time available for applying and checking the new boundaries, no errors were detected during the course of the election in certified lists or other roll products.
3.2 Redistribution Advice to Electors
The NTEC had planned to personally write to all electors affected by the redistribution to notify the change of division and also to publish maps and other information in the press. However, this program was terminated with the issue of the writ on 22 July as there was insufficient time to undertake the mailing, plus the potential to confuse electors at a time when many would be updating their enrolment. As an alternative, the boundary changes were included on maps used in the NTEC’s advertising of polling places in the print media.
It is anticipated that with the introduction of fixed election dates, sufficient time will be available to provide relevant electors with timely advice of changes to electoral boundaries arising from future redistributions.
3.3 Enrolment Program
As part of its on-going election awareness activities, the NTEC already had an enrolment stimulation campaign underway when the 2008 LA election was announced. The campaign included enrolment stalls at shopping centres in Darwin, Palmerston and Alice Springs. Stalls at the Alice Springs’ Todd Mall and Darwin’s Parap markets, at the V8 Supercar race and NT show circuit also collected enrolment forms. Details of enrolments collected at these venues are provided in the following table.
11 Table 3: Enrolment Program Prior to the 2008 Election
Enrolment Forms No. Other Location Date Completed & Returned Lodged on by Mail General Queries the Spot
Markets
Todd Mall 13.07.2008 7 12 1
Parap 19.07.2008 10 6 8
Shopping Centres
Palmerston 12.07.2008 10 12 8
Palmerston 23.07.2008 120 12 41
Casuarina 23.07.2008 30 66 33
Casuarina 24.07.2008 88 5 54
Other
Smith St Mall 24.07.2008 15 0 35
Alice Springs PO 24.07.2008 32 11 8
Supercars 4.07.2008 20 20 11
Alice Springs Show 4.07.2008 27 62 52
Tennant Creek Show 11.07.2008 10 20 8
Katherine Show 18.07.2008 22 14 42
Darwin Show 24.07.2008 178 29 47
Total 569 269 348
With the issue of the writ on 22 July 2008, the NTEC immediately commenced an election awareness campaign in the electronic media and the press, with an initial emphasis on the need to enrol by the close of rolls.
3.4 Enrolment Transactions During the Election Period
Over the three days between the issue of the writ and the close of rolls at 8pm on 24 July 2008, a total of 2066 enrolment forms were received. Of these, 948 were for change of enrolled address within the Territory and 1002 were additions to the roll. The additions included 276 first time enrolments, 619 transfers to the NT from elsewhere in Australia and 107 re-enrolments by persons previously removed from the roll. The balance of forms processed were for amendments to electors’ details e.g. adding a new mail delivery address, or providing information confirming existing details held on the roll (no-change enrolments). Over the same period, there were 133 deletions to the roll, almost all for transfer of enrolment out of the NT.
12 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
Details are shown in the next table of enrolment transactions between 1 April 2008 and 21 July 2008 in the lead up to the election (covering the enrolment promotion activity of the NTEC and AEC) and the period from the issue of the writ to the close of rolls. Also shown, for comparison, are enrolment transactions over the 2005 LA election close of rolls period. The higher number of enrolments received in the 2005 close of rolls period can be partly attributed to media speculation about the election date in the few days before the issue of the writ, giving electors more time to forward completed forms.
Table 4: Enrolment Transactions Prior to Roll Close - 2008 & 2005 Elections
1 April to Close of Rolls Close of Rolls Enrolment Transactions 21 July 2008 22-24 July 2008 2005 LA Election
Additions to NT Roll
New Enrolments 515 276 478
Re-enrolments 273 107 404
Re-instatements 4 0 6
Transfers from Interstate 1081 619 759
Movements within NT
Transfers Between Divisions 1895 728 1471
Changes within Division 856 220 451
No Change Enrolments/Amendments 418 116 197
Deletions to NT Roll
Objections/Cancellations 205 0 7
Death Deletions 253 8 64
Duplications 32 0 25
Transfers out to Interstate 1348 125 101
At the close of rolls, 119 814 electors were enrolled to vote, representing an increase of 7860 or 7.0% over the number enrolled for the 2005 election. The enrolments for each division and a comparison with previous elections are at Appendix C.
During polling, a total of 1562 enrolments forms were collected at polling places from electors taking the opportunity to notify changes to their personal and address details, many of which were from persons claiming a declaration vote as their name could not be found on the roll. However, the number of forms received during polling was significantly less than the number collected at the 2005 election.
The low levels of enrolment activity over the 2008 election period and the small growth of 0.7% in the roll for the four months up to the close of rolls was a consequence of the large number of enrolments generated at the two previous major electoral events, the November 2007 federal
13 election and the March 2008 municipal elections. Both elections contributed to a 5.0% boost in the NT roll over the nine months to March 2008.
A further influence on the number of electors on the NT roll was a change to AEC objection policy regarding the removal of electors who were no longer living at their claimed address, many of whom had permanently left the Territory. This change impacted significantly on the quality of the roll for the 2008 LA election and the NTEC considers this to be a major contributor to the decline in the raw participation rate at the election. See Section 5.12 for more detailed analysis.
The introduction of fixed parliamentary terms will provide the opportunity to conduct a joint enrolment program with the AEC that better accommodates the election cycle. It will also ensure that all roll objection action can be completed before the close of rolls.
NTEC Action Item 1 Establishment of a joint enrolment program with the AEC over a four year cycle to ensure more productive outcomes at general elections and other major electoral events.
3.5 Roll Products
Immediately following the close of rolls, the AEC provided a range of roll products in accordance with the Joint Commonwealth-NT Roll Arrangement. The roll data was supplied in the specified format and on time.
All certified lists for the election were printed at the Government Printing Office in Darwin and quality control checks were undertaken by the NTEC. As provided in the Act, two types of lists were printed:
Territory wide A-Z certified lists for declaration voters i.e. electors voting pre-poll, by post and absent from their division; and Certified lists for each division for electors voting within their division on polling day.
Following the successful trialling at the 2007 Greatorex by-election and 2008 municipal elections, personal data assistants (PDAs) listing all Territory electors were provided to declaration voting officers to assist in the searching for names on the roll. The PDAs were loaned by the AEC and the roll data was uploaded in Canberra.
Members and registered political parties received an electronic version of the Territory electoral roll in accordance with the Act.
14 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
4. KEY RESULT AREA – EDUCATION AND INFORMATION
4.1 The NTEC Role
In accordance with s309 of the Act, the Commission is required to promote public awareness of matters relating to elections. It does this by conducting electoral education and information programs. Commencing on the issue of the writ for Legislative Assembly elections, the NTEC undertakes a Territory wide public awareness campaign to notify electors how, when and where to enrol and to vote. Customised initiatives are also undertaken at the local level where special issues or needs exist. For candidates and parties, the NTEC publicly invites nominations and makes information available about election arrangements. The NTEC also ensures notification and access to public events, including the declaration of nominations, the tally room and the declaration of results. A summary of public awareness activities for the 2008 election is provided at Appendix D.
4.2 Information Strategy
Prior to the writ being issued, the NTEC had developed an information strategy that set out the public awareness and media management activities needed to publicise an election and to meet its statutory obligations. The strategy contained the key messages and underlying themes of the NTEC’s publicity campaign, including identification of the target audiences and key stakeholders. The objectives of the strategy were to promote enrolment and compulsory voting and to publicise details of voting services. The publication of statutory notices, placement of advertising and media response was undertaken in accordance with the strategy and included:
The monitoring of media reports and editorial comment; The issuing of media releases; and The distribution of information bulletins to key stakeholders.
Not all activities were focused on the mass media as a large part of the awareness campaign was to provide information materials at the local level in support of the mobile polling program. Plans to issue mail advice to electors affected by boundary changes had to be abandoned with the announcement of the election. Instead, boundary changes were included on maps in four separate newspaper lift-out supplements which also included polling place locations and operational hours.
15 4.3 Advertising
All public awareness material and advertising for the election carried a dedicated election logo and notices were communicated in English and in indigenous languages where applicable.
The Commission’s election advertising comprised statutory notices and general public awareness advertising. All notices and advertising content was developed in-house by NTEC staff and placed directly with publishers and broadcasters. Picture: NTEC LA Election 2008 Logo
Statutory and Non Statutory Advertising Public notices formed a major part of advertising for the election as required by the Act in respect to:
Issue of the writ and close of roll deadline; The call for nominations and the nominations deadline; The declaration of nominations; Arrangements and deadlines for postal voting; The location and opening hours of pre-poll voting centres; The mobile polling schedule; Static polling places and times; and Public declaration of the results of poll.
In accordance with the Act, all statutory notices were placed in the NT News and seven other newspapers circulating in regional areas of the Territory, including remote communities. Newsprint, however, does not have the flexibility and penetration of radio and TV in remote areas.
The information contained in the statutory notices formed the basis of advertising in the electronic media. The NTEC developed five scripts for broadcast on nine radio stations and four television networks. Advertising was placed in prime time wherever possible and timed to coincide with the various service delivery phases of the election timetable. The five advertising themes were:
Election announcement and close of rolls; The remote mobile polling schedule; Pre-poll and postal voting arrangements; Static polling place locations and new division boundaries applying following the redistribution; and Polling day arrangements.
Note: Compulsory voting was a recurring theme in all advertising.
A dedicated newspaper lift-out advertising the new divisional boundaries was provided in the NT News, Katherine Times, Tennant and District Times and the Centralian Advocate.
16 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
Mobile polling advertising included:
TV advertising announcing the commencement of mobile polling and directing electors to details displayed in their own communities and on the NTEC website; The preparation and distribution of 462 community specific notices for display at locations visited by mobile teams. The notices advertised the day and time that polling would be undertaken; Radio broadcasts to communities advising of mobile polling visits both on the day before a team visit and on the actual day of polling; and Radio broadcasts in English and translated, where appropriate, in six Aboriginal languages.
The following table shows the radio networks used in the election.
Table 5: Radio Networks Used to Broadcast Information – 2008 Election
Radio Station Names Hot 100FM CAMMA Mix 104.9 Radio Larrakia 8HA 8EAR Community Radio Inc (Gove FM) SunFm 96.9 PAW Radio Territory FM 104.1
The total cost of advertising placed with print and electronic media was $84 605. See the chart for breakdown of costs.
Chart: Breakdown of Costs for Television, Radio and Press
Radio 27%
Newspaper 46%
Television 27%
17 4.4 Information
Fourteen election bulletins were prepared and distributed electronically to selected stakeholders, with hard copy distribution for a small number of candidates not supplying email addresses on their nomination form. The bulletins included information about candidate obligations, emerging issues and recent developments that needed clarification.
The nomination form and candidate handbook were reviewed and amended where necessary and distributed on request. They were also made available on the NTEC website and at regional election offices when these became operational.
A special postal voting brochure was prepared and circulated, in hard copy and by email where appropriate, via the Australian Defence Force (ADF) internal network. It was also made available on the NTEC website.
A comprehensive email distribution list was prepared for the election. It included addresses of known media contacts, stakeholders, community service centres, mines, remote schools, health clinics, councils and the NT Cattlemen’s Association. All bulletins and media releases were distributed using this data base.
4.5 Media Communication
A media monitoring agency was contracted to provide timely advice of emerging issues across the Territory.
The NTEC issued 15 media releases at key milestones during the election period and as topical issues arose.
4.6 Call Centre
An election call centre was established at the Commission’s Darwin office and operated from 22 July 2008 to 13 August 2008, from 8am to 5pm. It was widely referred to in all NTEC advertising and statutory notices. Whilst it focused on providing information to electors about enrolment and voting arrangements, it was also the point of contact for calls by candidates, parties and the media.
The centre was staffed with experienced officers who had online access to the roll and to the NTEC website to allow an immediate response to enrolment and voting queries. The centre’s operation was restricted to business hours, but did open on the two public holidays and one weekend. The centre was resourced with sufficient incoming telephone lines and trained staff to ensure that all calls were answered within a 15 second response time apart from the very highest of peak demand.
The nature of calls mirrored the matters that applied at the differing stages in the election timetable. The most common calls related to voting arrangements, the location of polling places, postal voting and the receipt of advice from electors unable to attend a polling place on polling day or vote by post. Many of the later calls were received from electors holidaying or studying interstate and electors overseas.
18 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
The NTEC estimates that calls were received in relation to some 1000 electors notifying that they or members of their family would not be able to reach a polling place to vote, mainly because they were travelling. The chart below shows the number of calls received each day.
Chart: Call Centre Enquiries - 2008 Election Period
350 344 330
300 288
245 250 248 239
211 214 200 200 190 181 173 156 Call Totals 150
108 111 100
50 51 51 32 27 14 12 0 0 0 8 8 9 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 0 0 08` 0 0 08 08 0 0 008 .20 20 .20 .20 2 .20 7. 7.200 8. 8.2008 8.200 0 0 07 08 0 0 08 0 . .07.2 . . . . 6. 7 1 2.08.20083 4.08.2005. 6.08.2007.08.20088 9.08.2008 1. 22.07 23.07.20024 25.07.20082 2 28.07.20029.07.2030.07.20031 10.08.20081 12.08.2013.08.200
2008 Legislative Assembly General Election Key Dates Close of Roll 24 July Mobile Polling Commenced 31 July Close of Nominations 28 July Pre-poll Voting Commenced 4 August Postal Voting Commenced 31 July Polling Day 9 August
A total of 3425 enquiries were received by the NTEC, approximately the same number as at the 2005 election. The highest number of calls in any one day was 344 on Tuesday 5 August, prior to polling day. However, it would seem that enquiries via the call centre level out as the public make greater use of the NTEC website.
4.7 Website
The 2005 report highlighted the need to upgrade or replace the Commission’s website - identified as a major communication tool. The review and the development of the functional specification, commenced prior to the calling of the 2008 election.
As a first stage in the re-development, dedicated web pages were rapidly implemented and moved into production shortly after the announcement of the election. This allowed the NTEC’s media advertising to reflect the appropriate web content in the areas of enrolment, nominations, voting services and election results.
19 Statistics on website page views were maintained. These show that for the election period and up to the final count of ballot papers, a total of 57 216 page views were made, including 3335 for candidate information, 1873 for voting locations, 1044 for the 2008 redistribution and 41 819 for the tally room and results (73.1% of page views).
Website support was provided by the Department of Business and Employment.
4.8 Public Events
The NTEC was required to conduct public events. These included the declaration of nominations, draw for positions on the ballot paper, the tally room and declaration of polls. All interested parties, the media and the public were invited to attend these events.
The public events required access to appropriate premises close to the head office in Darwin and preparation of signage and facilities for candidates, interested parties, media and the public. The tally room had to be located off-site, where the tally board and Photo: Draw for Ballot Paper Positions appropriate support and media needs could be accommodated.
The Commission had initial difficulties in locating suitable premises for the tally room due to the short notice; however the Chan Building was eventually made available again thanks to the efforts of the Department of the Legislative Assembly.
On gaining possession, liaison took place with Telstra, the ABC and other media outlets to coordinate arrangements for the television and radio election night broadcasts. NTEC also established a results centre to handle count data provided by polling places and to post them to the NTEC website. The suite of tally boards and display modules on which the figures were recorded were refurbished to improve the visual impact.
In the immediate lead up to polling day, a team of staff were trained to receive and post count figures in the tally room. The NTEC website was also updated by tally room staff as figures were phoned through for both the primary vote and two candidate preferred counts.
Photo: Tally Room – 2008 Election
20 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
5. KEY RESULT AREA – ELECTIONS
5.1 Candidate Packs
Candidate packs were provided from the Commission’s offices in Darwin and Alice Springs to registered political parties and candidates. Each candidate pack contained:
A nomination form; A candidate’s handbook; Scrutineer appointment forms; Postal vote applications with return envelopes; and Enrolment forms with return envelopes.
5.2 Nominations and Draw for Ballot Paper Positions
The Commission’s offices in Alice Springs and Darwin were open to receive nominations during office hours from Friday 25 July, the day after roll close, until the close of nominations 12 noon on Monday 28 July 2008. The ALP and CLP lodged bulk nominations for their candidates in Darwin, whilst The Greens lodged nominations in both Darwin and Alice Springs. Nine of the eleven independents lodged their nominations in Darwin, the remaining two in Alice Springs.
As required by the Act, the declaration of nominations and draw for positions on the ballot papers were conducted in Darwin as soon as possible after the close of nominations.
In the 2005 election report, the Commission advised that the declaration of nominations and draw for the positions on ballot papers was a protracted process, which could be expedited and made more accessible to the media, candidates and other interested parties, by being conducted in regional areas. The Commission’s view has not altered in this matter.
5.3 Ballot Paper Printing
All ballot papers (ordinary and declaration) were printed at the Government Printing Office following the close of nominations.
At the 2007 Greatorex by-election, the size of the ballot papers was changed to allow them to be counted by machine. Following successful implementation at that poll, the new size ballot papers were adopted for the 2008 Legislative Assembly election.
Within the constraints of the Act and Regulations, the format and wording on the ballot papers was simplified to bring them into line with the more contemporary user-friendly style adopted in other jurisdictions.
21 5.4 Nomination Outcomes
At the close of nominations, 66 candidates had nominated for the 25 Legislative Assembly divisions. A full list of candidates with affiliations is provided at Appendix E. The tables below provide various profile summaries relating to nominations received.
Table 6: Candidates Standing 2008, by Affiliation and Gender
Affiliation Male Female Total
Australian Labor Party NT (ALP) 15 10 25 Northern Territory Country Liberal Party 18 6 24 The Greens 3 3 6 Independents 8 3 11 Total 44 22 66
Table 7: Candidates Nominated and Members Elected, by Age Range
Candidates Members Age Ranges ALP CLP GRNS IND Total ALP CLP IND Total
18-25 - 1 - - 1 - - - 0
26-35 1 3 1 - 5 1 1 - 2
36-45 13 9 1 - 23 4 5 - 9
46-55 9 8 3 - 20 7 5 - 12
56-65 2 3 - 1 6 1 - - 1
Not Stated - - 1 10 11 - - 1 1
Total 25 24 6 11 66 13 11 1 25
The following table compares the number of candidates nominating for elections from 1994 to 2008. The table clearly indicates a spike in the number of candidates at the 2001 and 2005 elections (88 and 80 candidates respectively). The additional candidates in 2001 and 2005 were mainly made up of The Greens, other minor parties or groups or independents. See the next table for further details.
22 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
Table 8: Candidates Standing 1994 to 2008 Elections
Elections Affiliation 1994 1997 2001 2005 2008 ALP 25 25 25 25 25 CLP 25 25 27 25 24 Greens 1 2 0 11 6 Other 12 14 36# 19* 11 Total 63 66 88 80 66 # 3 Democrats, 5 Territory Alliance, 3 Social Alliance, 5 One Nation and 20 Independents * 1 endorsed Democrat (party not registered) and 18 Independents
Two candidates, Ms Malarndirri McCarthy (Arnhem) and Ms Alison Anderson (Macdonnell) were elected unopposed. This last occurred at the Legislative Council elections of 1965 when Mr Peter Murray was elected unopposed for the seat of Arnhem. The number of candidates standing in each division is shown in the table below.
Table 9: Candidates Standing in Each Division 2008
1 Candidate 2 Candidates 3 Candidates 4 Candidates
Arnhem Blain Araluen Arafura
Macdonnell Brennan Drysdale Barkly
Casuarina Greatorex Braitling
Fannie Bay Katherine Daly
Fong Lim Nelson Karama
Goyder Nightcliff
Johnston Port Darwin
Nhulunbuy Wanguri
Sanderson
Stuart
(2) (10) (8) (5)
The Act provides that the nomination deposit is returned if the candidate is elected or polls greater than one fifth of the 1st preference votes of the successful candidate. Where the candidate does not meet either of these criteria, the deposit is forfeited.
Following the election, 57 candidates (86.4%) had their deposits refunded and 9 (13.6%) forfeited their deposit. The following table compares the nomination deposit outcomes by affiliation for the 2005 and 2008 elections.
23 Table 10: Nomination Deposit Outcomes 2005 & 2008 Elections
2005 2008 Affiliation Refunded Forfeited Total Refunded Forfeited Total
ALP 25 0 25 24 1 25
CLP 25 0 25 24 0 24
GREENS 3 8 11 5 1 6
Independent 7 11 18 4 7 11
Other 0 1 1
Total 60 20 80 57 9 66
(75.0%) (25.0%) (86.4%) (13.6%)
5.5 Postal Voting
Postal voting is available to electors unable to vote at a pre-poll or ordinary voting centre. Electors may apply for a postal vote for a particular election or, if they continually meet one of the criteria set out at s60 of the Act (e.g. residing 20km or more from a polling place), they may apply to register for ballot papers to be forwarded automatically without the need to lodge a fresh application for each election.
Postal voting has increased at recent elections in all jurisdictions, partly as a consequence of applications being distributed by political parties with their promotional material. As applications distributed in this way are initially returned to political parties and then forwarded to the electoral authority, there is the potential for delays in the mailing out of postal ballots. Any delays are critical at LA elections due to the short time available for posting and return of materials. Registered parties and campaign managers were advised by bulletin that applications must be forwarded to the NTEC in a timely manner. The NTEC has no evidence that parties did not forward applications regularly and quickly, other than a bundle of eighty delivered by a party representative to the NTEC’s Darwin office late on the afternoon of 31 July, all of which were processed by staff and lodged with Australia Post (AP) that evening.
Mailing of Postal Votes
A total of 4072 postal ballot papers were mailed over the election period, similar in number to the 2005 election, after allowing for the divisions of Arnhem and Macdonnell. They were processed and mailed from the Commission’s offices in Darwin and Alice Springs, temporary election offices in regional centres and by electoral authorities interstate. Statistics covering postal ballot papers issued for each division are provided at Appendix F.
At the commencement of the election, the NTEC had operational arrangements in place to ensure that mail to registered postal voters and other electors who had already applied, was lodged on 31 July 2008, the first date allowed under the Act. After the initial mailing, the NTEC was able to lodge all postal votes with AP on the day an application was received with the exception of a batch of postal votes to ‘silent’ electors resident in urban divisions for whom posting was slightly delayed
24 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
for technical reasons. The NTEC also put in place practical arrangements for the return of completed postal vote envelopes.
Of the 4072 postal votes issued over the period 31 July to 7 August, 60% were lodged with AP on the first day permitted under the Act, including 459 articles air-freighted to Alice Springs, Tennant Creek and Katherine on 30 July for lodgement when post offices opened the next morning. The lodgement in regional centres included 266 postal packs for registered postal voters with delivery addresses on remote properties in the divisions of Barkly and Stuart.
Prior to lodgement, the NTEC liaised with AP officers to put in place arrangements for the inclusion of postal vote mail in delivery runs departing from regional centres on 31 July. Despite these special efforts, some contracted services originating in Katherine closed off deliveries prior to receipt of postal vote mail. The NTEC is of the view that AP and their private contractors generally used their best endeavours to deliver and return completed ballot papers. The AP weekly delivery schedules might not always have been able to accommodate the tight timetable in place for the 2008 poll.
After lodgement, the NTEC surveyed a number of electors in remote areas to check delivery and it was apparent that some mail posted in Katherine for properties in the divisions of Barkly and Stuart had been delayed. Electors affected were advised to cast a vote with mobile teams or at a pre-poll or ordinary polling place, if possible, an option that a significant number of electors took up. Whilst it was not possible to resend ballot papers, arrangements were put in place for NTEC staff to collect completed Stuart ballot papers south of Katherine. Also, return mail on hand at the Katherine and Alice Springs Post Offices was cleared by NTEC staff for despatch to Darwin for inclusion in the count before the 15 August deadline.
Despite virtually all postal vote mail being despatched by the NTEC on the day of receipt of applications, it was apparent that electors with delivery addresses outside the Territory or who applied during the week before polling day were less likely to receive their ballot papers in time to vote. In the case of applications received from electors temporarily interstate, a significant proportion of votes were either returned late or not at all. All postal votes to the 40 electors who applied from overseas were despatched by AP International Express Post, however only two were returned by 15 August. Whilst applications could be lodged on Thursday 7 August, it is unlikely that the 110 postal votes mailed out on that day would have been delivered by polling day, other than possibly through PO boxes.
Postal Voting for Australian Defence Force (ADF) Personnel
The 2005 election report recommended that a review be undertaken of the electoral services provided to the ADF. Prior to the 2008 election, discussions took place with Defence Department officials on how best to forward election advice to Canberra and local ADF locations for dissemination to their personnel using internal Defence communication networks. In addition, the NTEC prepared a brochure about voting at the LA election and included a postal vote application for circulation to ADF personnel enrolled in the Territory but temporarily assigned elsewhere in Australia. Special arrangements were made for 29 electors deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan to receive postal ballot papers and return the completed postal vote envelopes by ADF courier bag to the NTEC.
25 The Return of Postal Votes
By the deadline for the return of postal vote envelopes on 15 August 2008, a total of 2916 completed envelopes had been returned and a further 440 applicants had opted to vote at an ordinary, pre-poll or mobile polling place. This latter group included 91 voters who handed in their postal vote envelopes at polling places for cancellation. Overall, 82.4% of the 4072 electors sent postal ballot papers returned completed postal vote envelopes by the deadline or voted at a polling place. The balance of 716 postal vote applicants had their completed envelopes returned to the NTEC after the deadline, or they failed to vote. The NTEC cannot report on the circumstances of those applicants who apparently failed to vote, other than that a significant number had applied from interstate and overseas.
Over the month following the 15 August deadline, a total of 246 completed envelopes were returned to the NTEC, plus a further 84 envelopes endorsed ‘RTS - Not Known at Address’. Details of returns are shown in the table below and at Appendix F(ii).
Table 11: Postal Voting Returns 2005 & 2008 Elections
2005 2008* Postal Vote Pack Details No. % No. %
Issues
Postal Vote Packs Issued to Voters 4 446 4 072
Returns
Completed and Returned by Deadline 3 281 73.8 2 916 71.6
Completed and Returned after Deadline 219 4.9 246 6.0
Returned Unclaimed 99 2.2 84 2.1
Cancelled 151 3.4 91 2.2
Not Returned 696 15.7 735 18.1
* Elections in Arnhem and Macdonnell were not contested. In 2005 Arnhem and Macdonnell had 69 and 245 dispatches respectively.
Across the Territory, 71.6% of the postal ballot papers mailed out were returned by the deadline, a rate that increases to 82.4% after allowance is made for applicants who voted by other means. In the urban divisions, the proportion of applicants who voted was close to or above the Territory rate. However, in the remote divisions of Stuart and Barkly the number of applicants who voted was well below the average, with rates of 67.7% and 60.0% respectively.
In response to concerns raised at the time of the election about the adequacy of postal vote services for electors in remote areas, the NTEC undertook a survey of returns in the divisions of Barkly and Stuart and noted the following:
Thirty one (31) completed Barkly postal vote envelopes were received by the NTEC on the first business day after the deadline for inclusion in the count. This comprised almost all of the mail received late in the division. As well, 25 completed envelopes were received for Stuart in the same circumstances.
26 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
The late postal votes for Barkly were received mainly from electors resident in the Roper River area, Borroloola and the eastern Barkly, in the latter case served by AP’s Mt Isa mail centre. In the case of Stuart, late mail came mainly from the area to the SW of Katherine.
There were 14 electors in Barkly, mainly registered postal voters, from whom mail was returned endorsed by AP ‘Return to Sender – Left Address’, indicating that a review of the roll and the register of postal voters in remote areas would be beneficial close to the election period.
It was apparent that some registered postal voters had out-of-date PO boxes or other mail delivery addresses recorded on the roll, especially a number of electors enrolled for properties who used PO boxes in Katherine. As registered postal voters, these electors are sent their ballot papers without the need to separately apply and so there is no immediate check on the currency of their mailing address.
A significant number of postal vote applicants voted with mobile polling teams or at pre-poll centres in Katherine, Tennant Creek and Alice Springs in response to advice provided by the NTEC via email, when it became apparent that mail was delayed in certain locations.
Comparative details of postal packs issued and returned plus other voting information for the remote Division of Barkly and the urban Division of Fannie Bay are provided below.
Table 12: Postal Voting for the Divisions of Barkly and Fannie Bay, 2008 (Postal Packs Issued, Returns Received)
Division Postal Voting Details Barkly Fannie Bay Postal Packs Issued 31 July to 7 August 225 221 Returned by 15 August - Admitted to Count 92 156 Rejected 8 20 Applicant Voted Ordinary, Mobile or Pre-poll 35 15 Total Postal Vote Applicants Who Voted 135 188 (60.0% voted) (85.1% voted) Postal Vote Cancelled or Returned after 15 August 39 16 Postal Vote Mail Returned RTS – Left Address 14 2
It is evident that the legislated timetable for postal voting at the election was challenging for electors in remote areas and those applying from interstate and overseas.
Processing of Returned Postal Vote Envelopes
Returned postal vote certificate envelopes undergo a preliminary examination before they are admitted to the scrutiny. Envelopes are rejected if they are received later than the deadline, have been completed after polling day or have not been signed. All elector signatures are subject to checks against their original application or the register of postal voters. The following table compares the admission and rejection rates of postal vote envelopes received by the deadline for admission to the count at the 2005 and 2008 general elections.
27 Table 13: Postal Vote Envelope Scrutiny Details 2005 & 2008 Elections
2005 2008* Postal Vote Scrutiny Details No. % No. %
Admitted to Further Scrutiny 3 042 92.7 2 648 90.8
Rejected from Scrutiny 239 7.3 268 9.2
* Elections in Arnhem and Macdonnell were not contested. In 2005 Arnhem and Macdonnell had 69 and 245 dispatches respectively.
Admission rates varied from 64.3% for Arafura to 100% in Nhulunbuy. The Territory average for admission was 90.1%. Details on admission rates for all divisions is shown in Appendix F(iii).
The 2009 amendments to the Electoral Act provided for set term elections and a slightly longer postal voting timetable that should assist with the return of completed postal votes from electors in remote areas of the Territory. The amendments have also addressed the NTEC recommendation made after the 2005 general election to allow for the dispatch of postal votes as soon as practicable after the close of nominations and should allow postal ballots to be mailed at least three working days earlier than under the legislation that existed for the 2008 poll. However, timeframes still do not provide sufficient time for most electors applying from overseas or from the more remote parts of Australia.
NTEC Action Item 2 Lodge postal votes addressed via Mount Isa directly at Mt Isa post office as part of the initial regional dispatches.
NTEC Action Item 3 Schedule a simultaneous review of registered postal voters and promotion of registered postal voting services in the lead up to future fixed elections.
NTEC Action Item 4 Explore possible enhancements to the lay-out, detail and presentation of the postal vote certificate envelope to minimise any involuntary errors in completion by electors.
5.6 Pre-poll Voting
As with a postal voter, an elector unable to attend a polling place on polling day may vote at a pre-poll centre if, during polling hours, he/she:
will not be in the Territory or within 20km of a polling place; will be travelling; will be unable to attend a polling place because of illness, infirmity or approaching maternity or caring for a person who is ill, infirm or expected shortly to give birth; his/her address has been suppressed from the roll; is a prisoner and unable to attend a polling place;
28 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
is a member of a religious order or holds religious beliefs preventing them from attending a polling place during polling hours or the greater part of those hours; and will be working and is not entitled to leave of absence or absence from work may cause danger or substantial loss.
Pre-poll centres were open the week preceding polling day, with the exception of Jabiru, where pre-poll voting was available the day prior to polling day.
Centres were also established at Territory regional centres and the offices of State/Territory electoral authorities under reciprocal arrangements. The table below details the number of votes taken at each centre.
Table 14: Pre-Poll Centres and Votes Taken 2008
Intra-Territory Interstate
Centre Issued Centre Issued
Alice Springs 1 800 Adelaide 73
Casuarina 1 441 Brisbane 43
Darwin 1 852 Canberra 20
Jabiru 96 Hobart 13
Katherine 1 290 Melbourne 48
Nhulunbuy 244 Perth 28
Palmerston 1 778 Sydney 16
Tennant Creek 475
Subtotal 8 976 Subtotal 241
(97.4%) (2.6%)
Total Issued 9217
Pre-poll voting showed a 59.6% increase on the number issued at the 2005 election. As indicated in the following graph, electors accessing this form of voting have increased by 165.2% since 1997 when pre-poll voting was first made available. It highlights the mobility of the Territory population and a growing propensity for electors to vote before polling day.
29
Chart: Pre-Poll Voting 1997 to 2008 Elections
No. Issued
9217
5775 4044 347
1997 2001 2005 2008* Election Year
*Elections in Arnhem and Macdonnell were not contested. In 2005, Arnhem had 54 pre-poll votes, Macdonell 184.
The increase in this form of voting does pose significant organisational challenges for the Commission in relation to providing appropriate levels of polling materials, staffing allocations, training and the availability of suitable locations for voting centres, especially with short notice of an election date. The introduction of fixed term elections will allow the identification of staff and suitable premises in advance of the election.
Press reports that the Katherine pre-poll centre ran out of ballot papers and issued electors with pieces of paper to record votes were incorrect. The Katherine centre did temporarily run out of printed ballot papers for one division but open (blank) ballot papers were issued until fresh printed stocks of the divisional print arrived shortly afterwards. The issue of open ballot papers is a normal procedure in these circumstances and occurs from time to time in all jurisdictions.
Pre-poll centres have never been appointed outside the Territory except for inter-state capital cities. However, there would appear to be merit in the appointment of pre-poll centres at Mt Isa and a few selected overseas locations.
NTEC Action Item 5 Appoint pre-poll centres in Mt Isa and selected overseas locations.
5.7 Mobile Polling
Mobile polling is a major logistical task. It provides an attendance voting service to remote communities and institutions during a 10 day period up to and including polling day. Two hundred and seventeen locations were mobile polled, 196 of these in remote areas. The balance comprised hospitals, renal units, aged care and correctional facilities.
Preliminary planning of mobile polling schedules began in mid-June and was quickly accelerated when the election was called. Plans remained tentative until final enrolment figures and nomination details became available.
30 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
A list of possible locations was circulated to parties and other stakeholders for comment and minor changes were made to that list, where appropriate, in response to feedback received. Final itineraries were set shortly after the close of rolls and then advertised, with some variations occurring through the mobile polling period due to unforeseen contingencies such as funerals in communities. Variations were notified to candidates and parties electronically as they occurred and to the general public via the NTEC website.
The members for the divisions of Arnhem and Macdonnell were declared elected at the close of nominations and the services offered in those divisions were reappraised. An abridged schedule was drawn up to cater for absent voters from other divisions who were temporally located at major centres within Arnhem and Macdonnell, with eventually 187 absent votes being taken at mobile polling facilities operating in the two uncontested divisions.
At the 2008 election, 8408 ordinary ballot papers were issued at mobile polling locations by 23 mobile polling teams, 10.1% of all ordinary votes taken (14.9% in 2005, 13.5% in 2001). After allowing for the absence of ordinary ballot papers issued in the divisions of Arnhem and Macdonnell, there was a small drop in raw turnout at remote polling places in 2008.
Recruiting suitable staff to undertake mobile polling is becoming increasingly difficult, especially in the southern region. While every effort is made to fill the positions with local staff, persons who initially express an interest often drop out when the election dates are known. In 2008, fourteen experienced interstate staff undertook at least some mobile polling duties compared with seven in 2005.
Frequent elector movements across State borders in traditional remote areas suggest that the appointment of a few mobile polling locations outside the NT at select locations might have merit.
NTEC Action Item 6 Appoint mobile polling locations at appropriate locations outside NT borders.
A full list of mobile polling places by division is shown in Appendix G.
5.8 Static Polling
The majority of electors vote at static polling places appointed for their division which is the most cost effective form of voting service delivery under the current provisions of the Act. Where electors use other voting services, the cost per vote rises considerably due to additional costs associated with more complex issuing procedures and preparing declaration votes for scrutiny.
A total of 52 349 ordinary ballot papers were issued at static polling places, 62.7% of ballot papers counted (61.6% in 2005, 70.2% in 2001).
Static polling places are open from 8am to 6pm on polling day and are generally situated at the same locations from one general election to another. Alternative premises may be required as a consequence of boundary changes or the unavailability of the usual premises.
31
A total of 47 polling places were appointed for the 2008 general election, the same as in 2005, excluding the uncontested divisions of Arnhem and Macdonnell.
A polling facility was offered to the secure defence establishments at Berrimah and Robertson Barracks. However this offer was declined by the relevant authorities in favour of transportation to local polling places being organised internally for defence personnel. Static polling places were established near Larrakeyah Barracks and at Tindal air base.
The following table shows the polling places appointed for each division.
Table 15: Polling Places by Division 2008
Division Polling Place Division Polling Place
Arafura Jabiru Goyder Bees Creek Araluen Gillen Taminmin+ Yirara Greatorex Sadadeen Arnhem N/A Settlers Barkly Tennant Creek Johnston Millner Blain Gray+ Moil Moulden Karama Karama Woodroffe Manunda Terrace Braitling Braitling Katherine Katherine Larapinta Katherine East Brennan Bakewell Tindal Farrar Macdonnell N/A Casuarina Nakara Nelson Howard Springs Tiwi Kormilda+ Daly Batchelor Taminmin+ Berry Springs Nhulunbuy Nhulunbuy Drysdale Driver Nightcliff Nightcliff Durack Port Darwin Darwin City Gray+ Larrakeyah Marlow Lagoon Sanderson Anula Fannie Bay Parap Wulagi Stuart Park Stuart Pine Creek Fong Lim Bayview Wanguri Leanyer Kormilda+ Wanguri Ludmilla + Joint polling place Joint polling places serving two or more divisions are generally avoided. However, a joint facility is on occasion the only option when suitable premises are limited and/or the location is in close
32 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
proximity to a divisional boundary and will inevitably draw electors in numbers from more than one division.
Following the changes in boundaries arising from the 2008 redistribution, only three joint polling places were appointed for the 2008 election at Gray, Kormilda and Taminmin schools, compared with five in 2005. Polling place monitors were appointed at these locations to direct voters to the appropriate rooms and minimise voter confusion.
5.9 Absent Voting
Absent voting is provided at static and mobile polling places for electors who are not within their enrolled division on polling day.
At the 2008 election, 10 709 absent ballot papers were issued, 12.8% of ballot papers counted at the election, compared with 11 634 absent ballot papers (13%) in 2005 and 6807 (8.0%) in 2001. Considering that significant boundary changes had only just been gazetted, the relatively low level of absent voting would indicate that the NTEC’s revised strategy to advise electors of the new boundaries as part of the advertising of polling places was effective.
The following factors contribute to high absent voting levels at Legislative Assembly general elections:
The small geographical area of urban electorates and the location of many polling places near boundaries; The mobility of the Territory population; Elector awareness of alternative voting services; The ‘habit’ factor where electors vote at the same polling place, whether it is a federal, Territory or council election; The convenience of voting at polling places situated near shopping centres/sports venues etc to fit in with the elector’s Saturday routine; A lack of awareness of the effects of a redistribution of electoral boundaries; and Electors being enrolled for a previous address.
33 The table below shows the number of absent ballot papers counted for each division.
Table 16: Absent Ballot Papers Lodged for Each Division 2008
Division No. Division No. Division No.
Arafura 256 Drysdale 587 Nelson 569
Araluen 433 Fannie Bay 496 Nhulunbuy 66
Barkly 151 Fong Lim 901 Nightcliff 526
Blain 578 Goyder 375 Port Darwin 657
Braitling 518 Greatorex 333 Sanderson 581
Brennan 565 Johnston 704 Stuart 299
Casuarina 561 Karama 511 Wanguri 336
Daly 520 Katherine 186
Total 10 709
5.10 Unenrolled Voters
Declaration ballot papers are claimed by persons whose names cannot be found on the roll.
At the election, 981 declaration ballot papers were issued, of which 105 were admitted to the count following roll checks. This compares with 1790 issued and 584 admitted to the count in 2005.
The reduction in the number of ballot papers issued and admitted for unenrolled electors can be attributed to the following:
Reduced objection action by the AEC in the months leading up to the poll; Detection and remedial action being taken by unenrolled voters at the municipal general elections in March 2008; and No elections being held in Arnhem and Macdonnell.
The use of Territory wide A-Z rolls for absent voting also helped to confirm enrolment in divisions other than that for which the polling place was appointed.
See Appendix H for details of declaration envelopes lodged and admitted/rejected by division.
5.11 Electors with Special Needs
The NTEC makes special efforts to provide voting services that are appropriate and accessible for electors who have a disability or for whom English is a second language.
34 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
As previously, the Commission provided the following to assist electors with special needs:
Appointed bi-lingual polling staff at mobile and static polling places where considered appropriate; Used and advertised polling places with full wheelchair access (24) and wheelchair assisted access (11); Trained polling officials in how to support electors requiring assistance with voting; Afforded electors the opportunity to vote outside a polling place under special circumstances (Electoral Act s88); Established disabled parking bays at polling places; Provided mobile polling facilities at hospitals, aged care homes and renal units; and, for the first time at this election: Provided magnifying sheets at mobile and static polling places to assist vision impaired electors; Incorporated captions on television advertising for hearing impaired electors; and Networked with disability groups throughout the election period including the distribution of advice on relevant services.
5.12 Elector Participation
Electors voting by category at the last three general elections are shown in the table below.
Table 17: Ballot Papers Counted by Type 2001, 2005 & 2008 Elections
2001 2005 2008* Ballot Papers Counted No. % No. % No. %
Ordinary Ballot Papers:
Static Polling Places 59667 70.2 55247 61.6 52349 62.7
Mobile Polling 11502 13.5 13364 14.9 8408 10.1
Absent 6807 8.0 11634 13.0 10709 12.8
Postal 1996 2.4 3042 3.4 2648 3.2
Pre-poll 4162 4.9 5775 6.4 9217 11.0
Declaration 860 1.0 584 0.7 105 0.1
Total Ballot Papers Counted 84994 89646 83436
* In 2008, the divisions of Arnhem and Macdonnell were uncontested
There was a decline in the raw turnout figure at the election (no. of voters/no. of enrolled electors) of 4.4% and 4.9% compared to the elections in 2005 and 2001 respectively (see the next table). The decline was especially notable as the two divisions that did not go to poll, Arnhem and Macdonnell, traditionally have a low turnout.
35
Table 18: Turnout 1990 to 2005 Elections
NT Legislative Assembly Average 1990 1994 1997 2001 2005 General Elections 1990-2005 80.4% Participation % 81.6 80.7 79.0 80.6 80.1 (2008 – 75.7%)
The decline occurred in all divisions and was most pronounced in Alice Springs, Katherine, the top end rural areas and the inner suburbs of Darwin. Participation rates by division and grouped by geographic region are shown in the table on the next page, ordered by the relative decline in participation 2005-08.
Following the 2008 election, the media focussed heavily on the decline in turnout and, in its coverage, speculated that it was the result of voter apathy and the sudden calling of the election. Whilst there may have been a small impact on participation due to disenchantment in the electorate, voter backlash is more reliably measured through increases in intentional informality and fines for failing to vote rather than the raw turn-out statistics, which can be affected by so many other factors.
In fact, detailed analysis by the NTEC points to a complex mix of factors that impacted adversely on the raw turnout figure, with the most important of these being the timing of the election, the quality of the electoral roll and special circumstances existing in remote communities.
The 2008 election was called at one of the earliest possible election dates and without warning. Whilst it is rare to receive a lot of notice at NT general elections, on this occasion there was little of the normal media speculation before the actual announcement. At previous elections, growing speculation added to public awareness and prompted enrolments – and persons who enrol shortly before a roll closure tend to vote at the ensuing election. Also, the 2008 election was called when many electors were on vacation or away from the Territory, due in part to the occurrence of two long weekends in the lead up to polling day.
By the close of polling, the NTEC had received approximately 4337 notifications from electors advising that they, or family members, would not be able to vote, which was double the number received at the 2005 poll. Whilst such advice is received at all elections and can refer to a range of circumstances including ill health, at the 2008 election an estimated 65% of the notifications were from electors overseas, interstate or elsewhere in the Territory who could not readily reach a polling place, pre-poll centre or use postal voting services.
Electors are required by law to keep their enrolment up to date, however many who move address only transfer their enrolment when prompted by roll reviews, public awareness programs or an electoral event. After the 2007 federal election there were limited opportunities for enrolment stimulation activities, due to the difficulties of undertaking field work in the wet season and the need to suspend activities during the 2008 municipal elections. The NTEC had planned to undertake a major enrolment drive at the conclusion of the redistribution, but this was not possible due to the early announcement of the LA election.
36 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
Table 19: Participation by Division and Region – 2008 Election
Participation 2008 Participation % 2008 No. Electors Region (for 23 % On Roll Voting 2005 2008 Difference Divisions) 2005-08
Darwin Casuarina 84.1 Northern suburbs Johnston 82.5
Karama 84.0 28 903 24 075 87.3 83.3 -4.0 Nightcliff 78.8
Sanderson 86.6
Wanguri 83.9
Palmerston Blain 80.1
Brennan 80.3 14 533 11 643 84.3 80.1 -4.2
Drysdale 79.9
Remote Arafura 60.8
Barkly 65.1
Daly 73.9 23 304 14 581 68.5 62.6 -5.9 (excludes Nhulunbuy 59.8 Arnhem & Macdonnell) Stuart 52.8
Katherine Katherine 75.8 4 923 3 731 81.8 75.8 -6.0
Darwin Fannie Bay 78.5 Inner Fong Lim/Ex suburbs 75.9 14 564 11 019 82.1 75.7 -6.4 Millner
Port Darwin 2.4
Darwin rural Goyder 83.2 9 334 7 364 86.1 78.9 -7.2 Nelson 74.6
Alice Springs Araluen 74.6
Braitling 73.4 14 728 11 023 84.1 74.8 -9.3
Greatorex 76.6
NT Total 110 289 83 436 80.1 75.7 -4.4
37 A comparison of roll transactions in the lead-up to the 2008 and 2005 LA elections highlights a substantial decline in enrolment activity over those two periods. A summary of transactions effected during those periods follows:
At the 2008 close of rolls, a significant number of electors were still on the roll despite evidence, including failure to vote at the 2007 federal election, that they were no longer resident at their enrolled address. This was due in part to the removals process being suspended during the municipal elections and to changes in AEC objection policy implemented in early 2007 that added considerably to the time taken to effect removals. Over the eight months to July 2008, 439 electors were deleted from the roll by objection, compared with 3928 objected off the roll over the eight months before the 2005 LA election. Further evidence that movement of electors out of the NT was not reflected in the enrolment statistics, was the growth of 6600 or 5.9% in the NT roll during 2007-2008, almost three times the estimated increase in the eligible population over the year.
There were 5500 additions to the NT roll (new enrolments, re-enrolments and transfers from interstate) for the eight months between the 2007 federal election and the close of rolls for the 2008 LA election, a reduction on the number of additions recorded for the same period prior to the 2005 LA election.
There was a reduction in the number of enrolments received from NT electors for transfer to a new address within the Territory. In the eight months prior to the election there were 5400 transfers on the NT roll, a decline of 36% on the 8500 recorded for the comparable period before the 2005 election.
Based on the large number of objections pending at July 2008 and the relatively low number of additions to the roll and transfers of enrolment received over the preceding months, it was apparent that the roll did not have the same quality when the 2008 election was called as at previous LA elections. Further evidence that a significant number of electors had left their enrolled address was the large increase in non-voter mail endorsed ‘left address’ and returned to the NTEC following the election.
A range of adverse circumstances in remote rural divisions would also appear to have resulted in a 5.9% fall in voting compared with 2005 including:
The increased movement of community residents between homelands and regional centres in response to the federal intervention; Limited polling in the uncontested divisions except for the collection of absent votes for adjoining divisions; and Anecdotal evidence suggesting less intensity in political activity in communities during the polling period compared to that observed at the 2007 federal election and previous LA elections.
38 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
5.13 Informal Voting
The 3408 informal ballot papers at the election comprised 4% of the ballot papers counted.
A study of the informal ballot papers found the following:
1925 (56.5%) ballot papers appeared to be deliberately informal e.g. blank, slashed through with no preference marking or marked with wording dismissive of the voting process; and 1483 ballot papers (43.5%) appeared to have been marked in an attempt to cast a formal vote but the numbering was not sequential, numbers were repeated or insufficient preferences were marked on the ballot papers.
Informal voting increased marginally from 3.7% in 2005, despite 10 divisions in 2008 having only two candidates. There was, however, a 17.7% increase in electors who apparently deliberately marked their ballot papers in an informal manner and a decrease of 13.9% in apparent unintentional informality. The percentage of apparent deliberately marked informal ballot papers rose most noticeably in urban divisions.
A comparison of informal ballot papers by category for each division between the 2005 and 2008 elections is shown in Appendix I.
Informality in remote divisions fell marginally (0.2%) at this election, while the informality in urban divisions rose by 0.6%. This percentage of informal votes in urban divisions is the second highest in the last six Legislative Assembly elections and has halted a downward trend since the 1997 election in both the urban divisions and the NT average.
Chart: Informal Voting Rates 1990 to 2008 Elections
Remote Divisions
Urban Divisions
NT Average
4.6 2.8 3.1 4.8 3.4 3.8 5.9 4.8 5.1 5.9 3.6 4.2 4.9 3.2 3.7 4.7 3.9 4.0
1990 1994 1997 2001 2005 2008
Election Years
39 5.14 Two Candidate Preferred Count (TCP)
The TCP count is a notional count that allocates the preferences on ballot papers of minor candidates to those thought likely to be the final two candidates remaining in the count after any distribution of preferences. TCP counts are undertaken firstly on polling night to give the public an early indication of the result of the election and also during subsequent rechecks and following the admission of fresh ballot papers into the scrutiny after polling day.
The preferred candidates at the 2008 election were candidates representing the ALP and CLP in all divisions except for the Division of Nelson, where the sitting member, Independent Gerry Wood, and the CLP candidate were chosen for the two candidate preferred count. The only other electorate with a non- ALP/CLP outcome was Braitling (CLP/The Greens).
The notional two candidate preferred counts for each division are superseded by an official full distribution of preferences.
The final two candidate preferred counts by margin are shown in Appendix J.
5.15 Distribution of Preferences
A full distribution of preferences was conducted in the thirteen divisions that had more than two candidates contesting the election. It was conducted the Friday night following polling day, immediately after the postal voting receipt deadline.
Full preference distributions were undertaken for statistical purposes, even if a candidate achieved an absolute majority at an earlier stage of the count.
For full details, see the distribution of preference tables in the Division Snapshots, Part 2 of the report.
5.16 Declaration of the Polls and Writ Return
The declaration of the polls for the election was undertaken at the Commission’s office in Darwin on Monday 18 August 2008 at 10am. The writ was endorsed with the names of the successful candidates and returned to His Honour the Administrator on the same day.
5.17 Election Outcomes
The following table shows the number of primary votes polled by affiliation and the number of seats won for elections from 1990 to 2008.
40 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
Table 20: Primary Votes Polled by Affiliation, Seats Won – Elections 1990 to 2008
ALP CLP Greens Other Election Votes % Seats Votes % Seats Votes % Seats Votes % Seats
1990 General 24 028 36.9 9 30 479 46.9 14 0 0.0 0 10 529 16.2 2
1994 General 30 507 41.4 7 38 266 51.9 17 325 0.4 0 4 623 6.3 1
1997 General 29 365 38.5 7 41 722 54.7 18 420 0.6 0 4 811 6.3 0
2001 General 33 038 40.6 13 36 926 45.4 10 0 0.0 0 11 403 14.0 2
2005 General 44 822 51.9 19 30 827 35.8 4 3 594 4.2 0 7 045 8.2 2
2008 General* 35 065 43.8 13 35 826 44.8 11 3 442 4.3 0 5 696 7.1 1 *Elections in Arnhem and Macdonnell were not contested
Additional notional counts were conducted in Nelson and Braitling to ascertain the outcomes on a two party preferred basis (ALP/CLP) for each division. Two party preferred figures are shown in Appendix K and a graphic showing swing-to-lose (Labor/Non-Labor) figures is shown in Appendix L.
5.18 Disclosure
Following the election, candidates were contacted on 5 September 2008 and reminded of the need to submit returns for their respective disclosure periods for donations over $200. Three candidates failed to submit returns by the due date, though one submitted his return late. Copies of the returns are available for inspection at NTEC offices and a summary was placed on the Commission’s website (www.ntec.nt.gov.au).
Disclosure returns by political parties are submitted on a yearly basis and are reported in the Commission’s annual report. In 2005, disclosure thresholds were the same under both Commonwealth and NT legislation and the Electoral Act allowed parties to submit a copy of their Commonwealth disclosure return to meet their NT obligations. However, changes to the thresholds for the Commonwealth meant that parties must now complete a separate return for NT purposes.
5.19 Campaign Material Issues Arising During the 2008 Election
As usual, the NTEC received a number of calls during the election campaign regarding the veracity of campaign material circulating in the public arena. The authorisation of items also generated enquiries, primarily from candidates and parties.
In common with nearly all other jurisdictions in Australia, the NT Electoral Act does not regulate the content of political messages contained in electoral advertising. Instead, the intent of the Act is to ensure that electors are informed about the source of political advertising and that political advertising does not mislead or deceive electors about the way in which a vote must be cast.
41 Accordingly, the NTEC has no role or responsibility in deciding whether political messages published or broadcast in relation to a LA election are true or untrue. However, the NTEC does have a role in ensuring, to the extent possible, that electoral matter is properly authorised, so that electors can know who is responsible for the statements contained in them.
Electoral matter is defined as matter, in printed or electronic form, that is intended or is likely to affect voting at an election and it must be authorised. The method of authorisation is prescribed in the Act and it involves provision of the name and the address of the person authorising the advertisement at the end of the document.
Authorisation ensures that anonymity does not become a protective shield for irresponsible or defamatory statements. It also facilitates electoral authorities making contact with authorising persons where possible breaches may have occurred and where remedial action may be necessary.
On Wednesday 6 August, the ALP lodged a written complaint that alleged letters containing election matter being circulated by the CLP and its workers in one electorate were not in accordance with the authorisation provisions of the Act. Initially, the ALP provided four such letters. The first letter carried the name and signature of the author but provided no address details. It attacked the ALP incumbent and encouraged electors to put that person last in their preferences. The other three letters all encouraged support for the CLP candidate, carried the name of the author and were signed. In respect to these three letters, one provided a full address, one had no address at all and the other provided only a suburb name as an address. In one case where an address was provided, it did not match the address of the author on the roll, which was in a neighbouring electorate.
The Electoral Commissioner managed to contact two of the authors by phone who, whilst being clearly genuine, did not fully understand their authorisation responsibilities and seemed unclear about how their letters were being distributed. He also contacted the CLP which denied any party responsibility for the material or its distribution.
Shortly after, more personally signed letters, some of them not strictly authorised, were also being reported as being distributed within two other electorates, which were also classified as marginal electorates at the election. All of these other letters encouraged support for CLP candidates in those particular electorates.
With polling day fast approaching, the Electoral Commissioner requested immediate advice from the Solicitor General. On receipt of that advice, the Commissioner conveyed the situation to the CLP and sought its response.
On receipt of the CLP reply and further advice from the Solicitor General, the Commissioner formed the preliminary opinion that material was not in strict compliance with the authorisation provisions. As a consequence, he advised the CLP that it should take whatever steps it could to have any persons under its control desist from the distribution of any letters that might constitute unauthorised material. The CLP agreed to do so.
Following the election, the ALP made a formal written complaint, listing the distribution of nine personal letters that all encouraged support for CLP candidates and one which advocated voting against an ALP candidate. In its complaint, it contended the letters were not properly authorised
42 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
and were distributed by the CLP and its workers. It also provided additional material to support its claim.
Again, the Electoral Commissioner sought advice from the Solicitor General. Following this advice and, in the absence of an investigatory capacity within the Commission itself, the Electoral Commissioner approached the police to investigate the matter and it agreed to do so.
On 16 June 2009, the police advised the Electoral Commissioner that it had concluded its investigations and found that authorisation provisions had not been breached and that it was unable to determine the identity of the person/s responsible for publication. No further action was taken by the police as a consequence.
5.20 Processing of Apparent Non-Voters
At the conclusion of the election, the certified lists marked in polling places were scanned to identify electors who failed to vote. The raw total of 26 853 apparent non-voters was reduced by the culling of the 4377 electors who had already provided a valid and sufficient reason, leaving a balance of 22 476 apparent non-voters to follow-up.
In accordance with s300 of the Act, electors who apparently failed to vote without a valid and sufficient reason were issued with an infringement notice mailed on 5 November 2008. After the consideration of responses and the culling of electors resident in remote communities with mail delivery and access problems, the remaining 7181 non-voters who failed to reply were sent a second or reminder notice on 26 February 2009.
A summary of the non-voting process follows.
Table 21: Apparent Non-Voter Mailing and Replies at 30 September 2009
Apparent Non-voter Mail Records No. % Notices Mailed First notices – 5 November 2008 22 476 Second Notices – 26 February 2009 7181 Results Breakdown Returned unclaimed and endorsed RTS 6540 29.1 Replied – valid and sufficient reason provided 4555 20.3 Replied – warning issued in lieu of penalty 111 0.5 Replied – penalty paid 1254 5.6 Replied – penalty unpaid 4 <0.1 No reply to first notice; second notice not sent - address determined as 5478 24.4 undeliverable No reply and no RTS mail to first or second notice 4534 20.2 (Excludes second notices culled for non-deliverable address)
43 There was no reply from 45% of electors sent a notice, including those returned by AP as having undeliverable addresses, a significant reduction on the ‘no-replies’ at the 2005 election. In the case of addresses from which RTS mail had been received, or where the reply indicated that the roll needed checking, the electors concerned were targeted for roll review and objection action taken, where applicable.
Despite the overall increase in the infringement notices mailed, the response, including the payment of fines ($31 350), showed only a small increase to the numbers at the 2005 election. In the case of unclaimed RTS mail however, the volume doubled, indicating that a higher number of electors had permanently left their address without transferring their enrolment.
Facilities for Payment of Penalties
An initiative introduced for the 2008 election was the option to pay non-voting fines at offices of the NT Receiver of Territory Monies (RTM). This allowed electors to pay in person in all regional centres or by phone using a credit card. There was an increase in the number of non-voters who paid the penalty, almost all of whom paid through the RTM network.
The inclusion of a non voter expiation fee under the Act has streamlined the non-voting process considerably; however, the NTEC still does not have the power under current legislation to impose a fine itself and therefore must rely on the courts to do so. Involving the courts in this way is both time consuming and costly for all concerned.
In a number of other jurisdictions, the electoral administration has the power to impose a penalty and, if not paid, the matter is forwarded to a separate fines recovery unit that is a branch of the courts system. The unit then follows up payment using their legislated powers that can include the non-renewal of a person’s motor vehicle licence. This arrangement has significantly reduced administrative costs for electoral authorities and the courts and has ensured that fines imposed are collected.
RECOMMENDATION 4 It is recommended that the NTEC be authorised to impose a fine for failure to vote and that the necessary legislation be put in place to enable the NTEC to forward cases of non-payment of these fines to a fines recovery unit along the same lines as applies in some States.
44 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
6. KEY RESULT AREA – CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
6.1 Human Resource Recruitment, Support and Management
The small number of permanent staff of the Commission is supplemented by significant numbers of casual staff recruited for the election period for whom remuneration rates are determined by the Commissioner for Public Employment.
The 2005 election report identified the need to examine the structure for mobile polling positions which had not been reviewed since the inception of the mobile polling program in 1983. Past remuneration regimes also created some inequities in payment for a number of mobile polling officials. The position of deputy mobile team leader was created to assist the team leader with more complex management tasks. The number of staff on each team did not alter under the new arrangements.
The staffing structure for static polling places was also examined prior to the election. The additional position of polling place liaison officer, in line with other jurisdictions, was created and minor adjustments were made to the salary packages of key polling officials, officer-in-charge of a polling place (OIC) and the second-in charge (2IC) to reflect increased responsibilities and demands over time.
New remuneration rates for polling officials were determined and applied as follows:
Polling officials were paid a set package rate, based on the expected hours of work and training; and Pre-poll voting and casual office support staff were paid an hourly rate.
Seventeen seconded staff members from other electoral authorities were recruited to fill specialist election positions such as regional co-ordinators, project leaders in the Darwin office and mobile team leaders. Finding accommodation for these officers was problematic as it was the height of the tourist season and the bed vacancy rate was extremely low and prices were high. The Commission negotiated short term leases on rental properties in Darwin to overcome the problem and retained these after the election to accommodate project staff working on the inaugural shire and rural council elections in October 2008. The situation in regional centres, particularly in Nhulunbuy, provided similar challenges.
A team of four staff from the Department of Business and Employment (DBE) managed the travel arrangements and accounts for the mobile polling program, including the hire of vehicles and arranging for accommodation and travel allowances. Concurrently, the DBE staff handled the hire of polling places, property arrangements and contributed to other corporate support services.
Four hundred and thirty staff members were employed to fill polling positions and corporate support functions. The following table shows a break up of those temporary positions and a comparison with 2005.
45 Table 22: Comparison of Polling Official Positions 2005 and 2008
Staff Numbers Staff Classification 2005 2008
Static Polling Place
Officer in Charge (OIC) 49 47
2nd Officer in Charge (2IC) 8 13
Declaration Voting Officer 64 57
Ordinary Voting Officer 144 157
Ballot Box Guard 31 30
Polling Place Liaison Officer 0 3
Mobile Polling
Team Leader 20 23
Deputy Team Leader 0 16
Team Member 45 24
Office Support
Postal Voting, Pre-Poll Voting 14 19
Call Centre, Tally Room, Count 16 24
Seconded Staff
Australian Electoral Commission 11 10
Victorian Electoral Commission 0 6
Tasmanian Electoral Commission 0 1
Total 402 430
In common with other electoral jurisdictions, recruitment and retention of suitable polling staff has become a strategic issue to be addressed, particularly in the context of the high mobility of the NT’s population. Evidence is growing of a reluctance to undertake a long day’s work on the weekend and also for experienced polling staff to step up to leadership positions. This was the case at the 2008 election, especially the filling of key positions such as mobile team leaders and officers in charge of polling places.
Contact was re-established with local polling staff whose names were on the NTEC database in late 2007, sounding out their availability for the anticipated municipal and rural council elections during 2008. The holding of the LA election on one of the earliest dates, however, allowed little opportunity to fully explore the possibilities for the recruitment of experienced electoral support from other jurisdictions. Following the election announcement, the NTEC greatly appreciated the ready responses of the Australian, Tasmanian and Victorian Electoral Commissions to second staff to
46 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
assist in election preparations and program implementation. Such support can now be better co-ordinated in the future with the advent of fixed term general elections.
The recruitment of bi-lingual staff for static polling places continues to be a challenge. Persons with a bi-lingual background are in high demand by government and non government agencies. A number of polling officials fluent in languages other than English, including Aboriginal languages, were employed in the polling day workforce and on mobile polling teams.
NTEC Action Item 7 Explore opportunities to provide more interpreter support at polling places.
Currently, training methodologies for polling staff adopted by the NTEC include manuals, workbooks, powerpoint presentations and training sessions with hands-on components. It is looking to further ‘engage’ staff by incorporating in its training program technologies such as on-line training software, useful for accessing staff in remote areas.
NTEC Action Item 8 Explore on-line training possibilities for polling staff with other State/territory Commissions.
6.2 Regional Centre Deployment
Regional co-ordinators were deployed to Alice Springs (2), Katherine (1) and Nhulunbuy (1) to provide electoral expertise at these regional hubs until after the polling day weekend. Tennant Creek was supervised from Alice Springs. Regional co-ordinators in Katherine and Alice Springs employed casual staff to assist with pre-election voting and other office duties. ITC infrastructure support was provided through the auspices of DBE and other regionally based government officers.
6.3 Information Technology and Communication Support
The Commission upgraded its level of ITC support for the election period and greatly appreciated the work of staff from the Department of Business and Employment who provided prompt and responsive assistance prior to and during the election period, including updating the website.
Hardware
All PCs within the Darwin office had been refreshed by the end of the 2007-08 financial year. Additional desktop computers, printers, telephones and facsimile machines were acquired for seconded and casual staff assigned to election projects in the Commission’s offices, the tally room and regional offices set up for the election. The following table details hardware provided for each centre.
47 Table 23: Additional ITC Hardware Deployed
Centre Desktop Printer Phone Fax NTEC Darwin 15 2 10 4 NTEC Alice Springs 3 1 2 0 Katherine 2 1 1 0 Nhulunbuy 1 1 1 0 Tennant Creek 1 1 1 0 Tally Room 7 2 7 2
Satellite telephones were again provided to mobile polling teams travelling to remote areas of the Territory. These phones enabled Commission staff to readily contact mobile team leaders and the leaders to regularly advise the Commission of voting statistics and emerging issues.
Software support
The NTEC is similar to all other Australian Commissions in that it relies on an in-house election management system (EMS) to record, store and provide data to plan and conduct elections. The NTEC EMS is over a decade old and no longer provides suitable functionality, including:
Limited reporting capacities; Lack of integration with other in-house systems; Lack of connectivity with the website, resulting in duplication of effort and increased risk of error; and Extremely slow access to the EMS from the Alice Springs office.
As previously indicated, the EMS requires replacement or a substantial overhaul to achieve the required standards that exist in other jurisdictions.
Design software was acquired by the Commission for the 2008 election and two officers with graphic art skills were employed to enable NTEC to meet industry standards.
The NTEC will examine the feasibility and cost effectiveness of supplying remote mobile polling teams with GPS software to facilitate remote community visitation programs.
6.4 Election Budget
Forward estimates for a LA election were set at between $1.3 to $1.4 million, depending on the timing of the election in the electoral cycle.
6.5 Overall Expenditure
Expenditure for the 2008 election was $1 294 675, comprising $558 348 (43.1%) operational costs and $736 327 (56.9%) of personnel costs.
48 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
The overall costs of the 2008 general election rose by 31.4% in relation to the 2005 event.
Table 24: Comparison of Costs 2005 & 2008 Elections
Expense Type 2005 2008 $ $ Operational Property/Premises Hire/Accommodation 34 709 107 621 ITC Charges (Inc. Roll Scanning)* 29 709 33 510 Communications (Postage, Phones etc)* 33 205 38 599 Printing* 64 660 54 568 Marketing and Promotion 73 023 109 684 Equipment 6 855 23 116 Travel 197 397 148 343 Vehicles 44 987 32 055 Other (Freight, Legal Miscellaneous) 26 772 10 851 Total Operational Expenses 511 317 558 348 Personnel Agent Services (Personnel) 70 000 150 211 Casual Staff Costs 117 726 276 431 Permanent Staff Overtime Costs 24 693 38 681 Polling Official Costs 227 965 180 628 Payroll Tax/Super & Other Staff Costs 33 801 90 376 Total Personnel Expenses 474 185 736 327 Total Election Expenses 985 502 1 294 675 * 2005 figures were adjusted to more readily compare with 2008 cost code and ledger allocations
Notable variations in operational and personnel expenses between the 2005 and 2008 electoral events included the following:
Property/Premises Hire/Accommodation
Increased rental costs were incurred due to conducting an election during the height of the tourist season and the impact of the intervention, especially in relation to the leasing and availability of premises/accommodation. Previously, the Commission was also able to access reduced price community government council accommodation for mobile polling staff. In 2008, only commercial rental properties were available. Long term leases were required to house seconded interstate specialists due to the shortages in the residential market, with attendant utilities costs.
ITC Charges and Communications
The additional in-house staffing (secondments) created an increased demand for desktop computers and facsimile machines. The Commission also purchased three mobile broadband cards for use with laptops in regional areas.
49 Fourteen (14) mobile phones were allocated to regional, project and pre-poll staff to allow convenient and accessible communication with head office, where, officers were reliant previously on land lines being available.
Printing
Due to a change in inter-agency arrangements, roll printing was performed by the Government Printing Office in Darwin and roll scanning was undertaken directly with the AEC contractor. Savings were made by reducing freight costs and the time for printed rolls to be returned. A number of document templates were also reconfigured for standard paper size, allowing some cost rationalisation.
Marketing and Promotion
In 2008, print, television and radio advertising to remote regions were increased in a campaign to promote better awareness of the election and services and the impact of the redistribution on electoral boundaries. A number of radio bulletins were produced in indigenous languages relevant to the broadcast localities. New style information boards were customised for the tally room.
Equipment
The Commission upgraded mobile polling materials and purchased, at a reduced cost, additional stocks of cardboard equipment sufficient to cover the next two elections.
Travel and Vehicles
A reduction in mobile polling services, a consequence of the divisions of Arnhem and Macdonnell being uncontested, produced some savings in accommodation, travel and vehicle hire. Note that while the two divisions did not go to poll, a limited mobile polling program was scheduled to allow electors to vote outside their registered division.
Personnel Expenses
Costs for the 17 staff seconded from interstate jurisdictions were included as agent service expenses, a category assessed in 2008 wholly as personnel expenditure. Some of these secondees were deployed as polling officials and there was a consequent compensatory reduction in polling official costs. Increased pay levels for certain key polling officials were implemented following a review and subsequent upgrade in pay rates by the Commissioner for Public Employment. Wage increases since 2005 for all state and federal jurisdictions impacted on election costs including the NT public sector pay rises of 3% in August 2005 and 2006 and 4% in 2007 respectively. The Commission sought to improve strategies for communicating with the electorate and employed a dedicated public awareness officer and two qualified in-house graphic designers for the election period. A new election allowance payment (total allocated $13 750) was applied for the first time.
50 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
The timing of the election, early in the election window, had a significant impact on election staffing expenditure; additional casual staff were required to meet deadlines and the large increase in pre-poll voting and increased voter numbers since 2005. Although payroll tax decreased on 1 July 2008 from 6.2% to 5.9%, the wages bill was higher and, even with the drop in rate, the payroll tax component still increased by approximately $6000. Similarly, even though the superannuation guarantee paid by the NT Government to employees remained static at 9%, the increased wage bill saw the contribution rise by $11 000. Other staff costs rose by approximately $13 000 as a result of new salary sacrificing arrangements.
51 7. LEGISLATIVE ISSUES
7.1 Recommendations in the 2005 Election Report
The Legislative Assembly election in 2005 was the first conducted under the 2004 Electoral Act. The subsequent report on the election included a number of legislative recommendations for Government consideration. The legislative changes made in 2008 to establish fixed terms and amend the election timetable effectively addressed some of the recommendations.
It is the NTEC’s view that all of these earlier recommendations, with the exceptions of Recommendations 1, 4 and 8 still deserve attention. See the table opposite for the current status of the recommendations.
7.2 Commonwealth and Territory Legislation/Practice
The Commonwealth’s Joint Select Committee on Electoral Reform (JSCEM) completed its review of the 2007 Commonwealth General Election3. Its report made 53 recommendations relating to changes to electoral law, procedures and service delivery. A summary of the JSCEM recommendations from an NT perspective is provided in Appendix M.
Earlier in 2008, the Commonwealth government also sought input and co-operation from the States/Territories in a review of current electoral laws and administration practices that exist around the nation. The intent of the initiative, amongst other things, is to seek harmonisation of electoral law and practice. The scope of harmonisation possibilities ranges from items that might involve fairly innocuous standardisation of law/practice to significant philosophical and procedural shifts in electoral administration. A Green Paper on the subject was published in September 20094.
Any changes adopted in relation to enrolment by the Commonwealth will have a direct impact on the Territory because of its enrolment nexus with the Commonwealth. Current variations and other changes that the Commonwealth might implement would need to be considered in relation to their appropriateness for Territory application and any benefits derived from harmonisation.
RECOMMENDATION 5 It is recommended that the Electoral Act be reviewed to achieve harmonisation, where appropriate, with the electoral legislation of the Commonwealth and other States/Territories.
3 Report on the conduct of the 2007 federal election and matters related thereto, Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters, June 2009, Canberra 4 Electoral Reform Green Paper Strengthening Australia’s Democracy, Australian Government, September 2009
52 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
Table 25: Current Status of the 2005 Election Report Recommendations
No. Recommendation Status and Comments 1 A fixed poll date be established or, if that is not supported, The Act has now been amended to fix a poll then the period from the issue of the writ to polling day be date but the timetable for extraordinary general extended by at least a week. elections under the changes is tight and should be extended 2 Commonly exempted advertising items in other jurisdictions Still supported by the Commission. also be specifically exempted under the authorisation provisions contained in the Act. 3 More detailed guidelines be provided on the processing and Still supported by the Commission. assessment procedures in respect to declaration votes for unenrolled electors. 4 Allow for the issue of postal and pre-poll votes as soon as The Act has now been amended to provide for practicable after the close of nominations. this. 5 Allow electors to lodge an application for a postal vote for a Still supported by the Commission although fixed nominated period of up to one year, at any time or at least term elections will address some of the problems once the final year of the current Parliament has that generated this recommendation. commenced. 6 The NTEC examine options for using electronic means to Still supported by the Commission. enhance services to remote, interstate and overseas electors and the Act be amended so as to permit the application of electronic voting means where secure and certain prescribed circumstances exist. 7 Additional funding for a public awareness information The Commission will make a submission for an program for remote communities is provided to the NTEC advance of funding for the fixed general election once parliament has served its first three years. (that will include an allocation for public awareness) in the financial year preceding the now fixed election. 8 Establish a how-to-vote card distribution service for mobile The Commission has reviewed its position polling that is overseen by the NTEC. following the 2008 election and now supports the view that NT legislation should reflect Commonwealth legislation as part of the current harmonisation initiative (see 8.3) and also bearing in mind the problems associated with any implementation and reduced party concern at the 2008 poll. 9 Amend Section 78 of the Act to more specifically set the Still supported by the Commission. criteria for the selection of locations for mobile polling. 10 Allow the draw for positions on the ballot paper to be Still supported by the Commission. conducted at sites determined by the Electoral Commissioner. 11 Allow the roll as at roll close be made available to all Still supported by the Commission. candidates, subject to an appropriate undertaking being made by the candidate that restricts its electoral usage to the election period only. 12 Amend the financial disclosure provisions to set Territory The Commonwealth are currently reviewing their specific reporting thresholds and allow redesign of the disclosure legislation with a view to a reduction in returns so as to draw identical information from both its thresholds that is likely to be in the realm of endorsed and unendorsed candidates. current NT threshold. The NTEC would support replication of Commonwealth thresholds if they are around current NT limits. Mirroring thresholds has a number of administration and reporting benefits for both the NTEC and the parties. It would also harmonise legislation and practice. 13 Allow for the destruction of electoral papers relating to a Still supported by the Commission. general election to occur at the discretion of the Electoral Commission once returns can no longer be disputed.
53 54 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
APPENDICES
A. Status of NTEC Action Items Identified in the 2005 Election Report
B. Elector Transfers Resulting from the 2008 Redistribution of Electoral Boundaries
C. Enrolments as at Close of Rolls 1994 to 2008 Elections
D. Summary of Public Awareness Activities
E. Candidates and their Affiliation by Division
F. Postal Voting Statistics
(i) Postal Voting Packs Issued for Each Division
(ii) Postal Vote Certificates Returned/Cancelled/Not Returned by Division
(iii) Postal Vote Certificate Envelopes – Returns, Rejections/Admissions
G. Mobile Polling Schedules for Each Division by Team
H. Unenrolled Declaration Envelope Details by Division
I. Informal Ballot Paper Details by Division
(i) Informal Ballot Papers at LA Elections 2005 - 2008: Rural/Remote Divisions
(ii) Informal Ballot Papers at LA Elections 2005 - 2008: Urban Divisions
(iii) Informal Ballot Papers at LA Elections 2005 - 2008
J. Two Candidate Preferred (2CP) Full Distribution Margin
K. ALP/CLP Preferred Count by Division
L. Swing-to-Lose (%) after 2008 Election
M. Summary of the JSCEM Recommendations
55 APPENDIX A A. Status of NTEC Action Items Identified in the 2005 Election Report
Action Item for the NTEC Progress To introduce further quality control checks and more rigour in Undertaken following the 2008 Redistribution. No the transfer of elector enrolments following a redistribution of reported errors. future electoral boundaries.
To review polling places following the next Legislative Joint polling places were reduced from 5 to 3, taking Assembly redistribution, with particular emphasis on limiting advantage of opportunities that presented themselves the number of dual polling places. following changes in electoral boundaries in 2008.
To review the election public awareness campaign to provide a No significant action due to the short time between the modest amount of information targeted at electors identified as completion of the redistribution and the calling of the election. likely to attend a polling place outside their division because of This will be able to be addressed before the next general previous voting habits or past voting arrangements. election under fixed terms.
To review the electoral services provided to the defence forces Liaison established with Department of Defence; contact through consultation and planning with the relevant authorities. officers were provided and special delivery arrangements were effected to meet tight deadlines.
To liaise more closely with NT disability advocacy groups and No comprehensive plan created but the Commission was in develop a disability services plan that will improve electoral contact with advocacy groups and implemented some services to the disabled. initiatives at the 2008 poll.
To review statistics to be collected at future elections on voter Statistics from the 2005 and 2008 General election have been assistance and other special needs matters to assist with trend collected, collated and commented on in this report. Further analysis and the customisation of electoral education and research is planned. voting services.
To reassess the current non-voter payment arrangements with A system was established at this poll for non-voters to be able a view to providing more options for payment. to pay their fine by credit card with Receiver of Territory Monies at DBE Offices in the Territory and this was widely used.
To seek the support of the AEC in the development of a pool Both Commissions have separate computer systems; however of trained mobile polling and other key staff which can be work has been undertaken to ensure polling staff can be listed accessed by both organisations. for employment with both Commissions. Local secondees from the AEC played a key role in the recruitment of polling officials.
To seek a new remuneration determination for polling officials A new Determination was sought and made by the that eliminates the current two-tier structure. Commissioner for Public Employment in 2008 and implemented at the 2008 election
To review training materials and tools, post materials on the All printed material reviewed and kept under constant further Internet and provide polling official training materials in review. Provision of access to electronic materials is tied up electronic form. with the redevelopment of new website. The NTEC is a member of a joint State/Territory initiative in developing electronic training materials and tools for inclusion on websites.
To put in place: The Commission was in contact with staff in late 2007 and their availability in 2008 was also confirmed. • Procedures for the early recruitment and training of key staff well before the anticipated date of future general elections; • More regular contact with existing staff between elections to No special recruitment and training initiatives were particularly confirm their continued interest in working at elections. necessary on this occasion with the calling of the general election shortly after two major polls - federal (November • Periodic public calls for expressions of interest in working at 2007) and municipal (March 2008). future elections so that the register of potential polling staff can be updated.
56 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
Status of NTEC Action Items Identified in the 2005 Election Report (Continued)
Action Item for the NTEC Progress To develop appropriate documentation to support election Liaison took place with key external agencies regarding likely operations. election timeframes and demands. A daily election period planning calendar was developed to prepare for and conduct a general election and a project management approach allocating defined responsibilities was implemented. The advent of fixed term polls will, however, require a total re- engineering of past plans and methodologies.
To ensure IT services provided to the regional offices in While IT services were provided to staff deployed in these Katherine, Nhulunbuy and Tennant Creek are significantly regional centres, difficulties were experienced when accessing upgraded for the next general election. NTEC files.
To explore the potential application of PDAs in the delivery of PDAs were acquired from and programmed by the AEC for electoral services in this jurisdiction and incorporate their use use at the election. at future elections.
To seek to negotiate the secondment of a suitable DCIS (now DBE officers were seconded to the Commission for the DBE) officer to the NTEC during the election period to election period; efficiencies were achieved in payroll, streamline and improve the processing of election accounts recruitment, procurement and venue acquisition activities. and staff payments.
57 APPENDIX B B. Elector Transfers Resulting from the 2008 Redistribution of Electoral Boundaries
Electoral Elector Transfer Division Arafura No change Araluen Increased by the transfer of 336 electors from the Division of Macdonnell and 140 electors from the Division of Greatorex. Decreased by the transfer of 57 electors to the Division of Braitling. Arnhem Increased by the transfer of 627 electors from the Division of Nhulunbuy. Decreased by the transfer of 492 electors to the Division of Barkly and 562 electors to the Division of Stuart. Barkly Increased by the transfer of 492 electors from the Division of Arnhem and 30 electors from the Division of Daly. Blain Increased by the transfer of 656 electors from the Division of Brennan and 229 electors from the Division of Drysdale Decreased by the transfer of 1050 electors to the Division of Brennan and 218 electors to the Division of Drysdale. Braitling Increased by the transfer of 57 electors from the Division of Araluen and 332 electors from the Division of Stuart. Brennan Increased by the transfer of 1050 electors from the Division of Blain and 59 electors from the Division of Nelson. Decreased by the transfer of 656 electors to the Division of Blain and 945 electors to the Division of Drysdale. Casuarina Increased by the transfer of 544 electors from the Division of Johnston. Decreased by the transfer of 109 electors to the Division of Wanguri. Daly Increased by the transfer of 599 electors from the Division of Goyder. Decreased by the transfer of 30 electors to the Division of Barkly, 157 electors to the Division of Katherine and 960 electors to the Division of Stuart. Drysdale Increased by the transfer of 218 electors from the Division of Blain, 945 electors from the Division of Brennan and 387 electors from the Division of Goyder. Decreased by the transfer of 229 electors to the Division of Blain, 1979 electors to the Division of Fong Lim. Fannie bay Increased by the transfer of 1046 electors from the Division of Port Darwin. Decreased by the transfer of 665 electors to the Division of Fong Lim and 409 electors to the Division of Port Darwin. Fong Lim Created by the transfer of 2192 electors from the former Division of Millner, 1979 electors from the Division of Drysdale and 665 electors from the Division of Fannie Bay. Goyder Increased by the transfer of 587 electors from the Division of Nelson. Decreased by the transfer of 599 electors to the Division of Daly, 387 electors to the Division of Drysdale and 6 electors to the Division of Nelson. Greatorex Increased by the transfer of 246 electors from the Division of Stuart. Decreased by the transfer of 140 electors to the Division of Araluen. Johnston Increased by the transfer of 1951 electors from the former Division of Millner. Decreased by the transfer of 544 electors to the Division of Casuarina, 732 electors to the Division of Sanderson. Karama Increased by the transfer of 95 electors from the Division of Nelson and 310 electors from the Division of Sanderson. Katherine Increased by the transfer of 157 electors from the Division of Daly.
58 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
Elector Transfers Resulting from the 2008 Redistribution of Electoral Boundaries (Continued)
Electoral Elector Transfer Division Macdonnell Increased by the transfer of 932 electors from the Division of Stuart. Decreased by the transfer of 336 electors to the Division of Araluen. Nelson Increased by the transfer of 6 electors from the Division of Goyder. Decreased by the transfer of 59 electors to the Division of Brennan, 587 electors to the Division of Goyder and 95 electors to the Division of Karama. Nhulunbuy Decreased by the transfer of 627 electors to the Division of Arnhem Nightcliff Increased by the transfer of 312 electors from the former Division of Millner. Port Darwin Increased by the transfer of 409 electors from the Division of Fannie Bay. Decreased by the transfer of 1046 electors to the Division of Fannie Bay. Sanderson Increased by the transfer of 732 electors from the Division of Johnston. Decreased by the transfer of 310 electors to the Division of Karama. Stuart Increased by the transfer of 562 electors from the Division of Arnhem and 960 electors from the Division of Daly. Decreased by the transfer of 332 electors to the Division of Braitling, 246 electors to the Division of Greatorex and 932 electors to the Division of Macdonnell. Wanguri Increased by the transfer of 109 electors from the Division of Casuarina.
59 APPENDIX C C. Enrolments as at Close of Rolls 1994 to 2008 Elections
% Change Division 1994 1997 2001 2005 2008 From 2005
Arafura 3715 4224 4209 4613 4924 6.7 Araluen 3747 3814 4395 4532 4963 9.5 Arnhem 3910 4091 4291 4760 4660 -2.1 Barkly 3926 3974 3834 4195 4702 12.1 Blain 4091 4353 4475 4825 7.8 Braitling 3889 3791 4324 4319 4944 14.5 Brennan 3996 4519 4817 4535 4966 9.5 Casuarina 3548 4088 4142 4237 4680 10.5 Daly 3761 4707 4662 -1.0 Drysdale 3949 4438 4561 4742 4.0 Fannie Bay 3469 4179 4209 4696 4943 5.3 Fong Lim 4885 10.2 Goyder 4120 3904 4358 4491 4699 4.6 Greatorex 3723 3790 4481 4529 4823 6.5 *Jingili 3937 3800 Johnston 4321 4265 4931 15.6 Karama 3606 4278 4283 4318 4935 14.3 Katherine 3729 3989 3811 4647 4921 5.9 *Leanyer 3825 Macdonnell 3979 4331 4182 4471 4865 8.8 *Millner 3845 4472 4496 4434 Nelson 4006 3869 4049 4628 4635 0.2 Nhulunbuy 3717 4152 4262 4606 4532 -1.6 Nightcliff 3671 4307 4302 4436 4945 11.5 *Palmerston 3861 Port Darwin 3919 4012 4013 4537 4741 4.5 Sanderson 3535 4251 4400 4387 4852 10.6 Stuart 3730 3948 3685 4274 4481 4.8 *Victoria River 3886 4161 Wanguri 3718 3902 4090 4301 4558 6.0 NT Total 95 007 101 886 105 506 111 954 119 814 7.0
* Note - all abolished Jingili formed part of new Johnston Leanyer formed part of new Wanguri Millner formed part of new Fong Lim Palmerston formed part of new Blain Victoria River formed part of new Daly
60 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
APPENDIX D D. Summary of Public Awareness Activities
Medium Key Messages No. Newspaper Calling of the election and enrol/update enrolment details 25 Placements Nomination procedures; Pre-poll/early voting and postal voting services Remote mobile polling Static polling place locations/new division boundaries following the redistribution (including special lift out features) RadioPlacements Calling of the election and enrol/update enrolment details 614 English Remote mobile polling Language* Pre-poll/early voting and postal voting services Static polling place locations/new division boundaries following the redistribution Polling day Television Calling of the election and enrol/update enrolment details 341 Placements, 5 Remote mobile polling Advertisements Pre-poll/early voting services Static polling place locations/new division boundaries following the redistribution Polling day Media Releases Issue of writ; electoral roll closing/closing today; close of roll statistics 15 Nominations open/nominations closing; invitation for declaration of nominations; nominations closed/draw for positions on ballot papers Mobile polling; postal voting; pre-poll voting starts/ closing today; static polling place locations Authorisation of electoral material Declaration of the poll Election Bulletins Calling of the election; timetable; electoral roll extracts; enrolment forms 14 Nominations; candidate information; declaration of nominations/draw for ballot paper positions; financial disclosure; campaign workers Authorisation of campaign material, including how-to-vote materials; recycling how-to-vote material; campaign signage; media blackout Polling places; mobile polling schedules; pre-poll voting; postal vote applications Tally room; election night counts; appointment of scrutineers; post polling day count timetable; declaration of results Posters Customised mobile polling schedule for each community 462 Distributed Full mobile polling schedules to communities and organisations by Email/Fax Website Page Enrolment; voting services; candidate/party information; election results 57 216 Views Website Page Link from NT Government website to NTEC website 1 Links Call Centre Enrolment; voting services; general enquiries 3 425 Enquiries Direct Telephone Mobile polling arrangements in remote localities 392 Contact Brochure Enrolment and voting services for defence personnel 500 Enrolment Stalls Shopping centre, market and show circuit stalls 838 (Forms Received) Direct Mail Election timetable, enrol/update enrolment details prior to roll close and voting services N/A (E-mails) (Cattlemen’s Association, mining companies, special needs groups and schools for inclusion in newsletters) Public Events Declaration of nominations; tally room – election night results; declaration of the poll N/A
Election Electronic advertising; media releases; election bulletins; public events; website N/A Specific Branding
* Note: Radio advertisements relating to mobile polling were produced in language (Kriol, Warlpiri, Arrernte, Warumungu, Pitjantjatjara and Pintupi)
61 APPENDIX E E. Candidates and their Affiliation by Division (NB Names in Ballot Paper Order, Elected Candidates Shown in Bold) Division Candidate Name Affiliation Division Candidate Name Affiliation Arafura MUNGATOPI,Tristan CLP Karama *LAWRIE, Delia ALP *SCRYMGOUR, Marion ALP FOX, Dorothy IND LOTU, Jone IND HUNTER, Natalie IND SIEBERT, Angie CLP BACUS, Tony CLP Araluen CHELLEW, Linda GRNS Katherine COUTTS, Toni Tapp IND *CARNEY, Jodeen CLP HILLEN, Sharon ALP GAYNOR, John ALP WESTRA VAN HOLTHE, CLP Willem Arnhem McCARTHY, Malarndirri ALP Macdonnell ANDERSON, Alison ALP Barkly McCARTHY, Gerry ALP Nelson *WOOD, Gerry IND NATTRASS, Barry Lee IND KOHLMAN, Maureen CLP GOULD, Randall IND LUDERS-SEARLE, Justine ALP ADAMS, Mick CLP Nhulunbuy WALKER, Lynne ALP Blain *MILLS, Terry CLP MARIKA, Djuwalpi CLP VOWLES, Ken ALP Nightcliff YOUNG, Emma GRNS Braitling DICK, Aaron ALP *AAGAARD, Jane ALP GILES, Adam CLP MANNING, Peter CLP MELKY, Eli IND Port Darwin ELFERINK, John CLP CLARK, Jane GRNS ABBOTT, Gary GRNS Brennan *BURKE, James ALP *SACILOTTO, Kerry ALP CHANDLER, Peter CLP Sanderson STYLES, Peter ALP Casuarina *VATSKALIS, Kon ALP *KIELY, Len CLP HASLETT, Gary CLP Stuart *HAMPTON, Karl ALP Daly POLLOCK, David GRNS JAPANANGKA, Rex Granites CLP CONNOP, Wayne CLP Wanguri *HENDERSON, Paul ALP STEVENS, August IND DEAN, Duncan IND *KNIGHT, Rob ALP KYRIACOU, Kerrie CLP
Drysdale TUTTY, Justin IND * Sitting Member recontesting seat *NATT, Chris ALP # Member contesting new seat BOHLIN, Ross CLP ALP Australian Labor Party NT (ALP) Fannie Bay GUNNER, Michael ALP CLP Northern Territory Country Liberal Party LAMBERT, Garry CLP GRNS The Greens Fong Lim #BONSON, Matthew ALP IND Independent TOLLNER, David CLP Goyder *WARREN, Ted ALP PURICK, Kezia CLP Greatorex ARONSTEN, Lenny GRNS *CONLAN, Matt CLP NIXON, Jo ALP Johnston *BURNS, Chris ALP SANGSTER, Jo CLP
62 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
APPENDIX F F. Postal Voting Statistics (i) Postal Voting Packs Issued for Each Division Point Of Issue
Intra-Territory Interstate Division s g rin p Darwin Katherine Jabiru Nhulunbuy Tennant Creek Alice s Adelaide Brisbane Canberra Hobart Melbourne Perth Sydney Total Issued
Arafura 17 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 17
Araluen 140 0 0 0 0 25 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 165
Arnhem 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Barkly 219 0 0 0 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 225
Blain 174 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 174
Braitling 91 0 0 0 0 46 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 137
Brennan 193 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 197
Casuarina 162 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 162
Daly 261 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 261
Drysdale 169 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 169
Fannie Bay 219 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 221
Fong Lim 216 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 216
Goyder 178 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 178
Greatorex 84 0 0 0 0 39 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 123
Johnston 213 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 215
Karama 203 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 204
Katherine 122 12 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 136
MacDonnell 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Nelson 161 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 164
Nhulunbuy 44 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 44
Nightcliff 213 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 213
Port Darwin 295 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 295
Sanderson 197 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 197
Stuart 188 2 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 192
Wanguri 166 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 167
Total 3925 14 0 0 6 120 0 0 0 0 3 4 0 4072
63 APPENDIX F (ii) Postal Vote Certificates Returned/Cancelled/Not Returned by Division
Postal Packs
Division Returned Cancelled* Not Returned Issued No. % No. % No. %
Arafura 17 16 94.1 0 0.0 1 5.9 Araluen 165 139 84.2 1 0.6 25 15.2 Arnhem 0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 Barkly 225 147 65.3 6 2.7 72 32.0 Blain 174 123 70.7 9 5.2 42 24.1 Braitling 137 113 82.5 3 2.2 21 15.3 Brennan 197 154 78.2 13 6.6 30 15.2 Casuarina 162 142 87.7 5 3.1 15 9.3 Daly 261 200 76.6 2 0.8 59 22.6 Drysdale 169 139 82.2 7 4.1 23 13.6 Fannie Bay 221 187 84.6 7 3.2 27 12.2 Fong Lim 216 174 80.6 2 0.9 40 18.5 Goyder 178 141 79.2 1 0.6 36 20.2 Greatorex 123 98 79.7 2 1.6 23 18.7 Johnston 215 185 86.0 2 0.9 28 13.0 Karama 204 170 83.3 7 3.4 27 13.2 Katherine 136 105 77.2 0 0.0 31 22.8 Macdonnell 0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 Nelson 164 130 79.3 0 0.0 34 20.7 Nhulunbuy 44 26 59.1 0 0.0 18 40.9 Nightcliff 213 182 85.4 7 3.3 24 11.3 Port Darwin 295 235 79.7 13 4.4 47 15.9 Sanderson 197 158 80.2 1 0.5 38 19.3 Stuart 192 142 74.0 0 0.0 50 26.0 Wanguri 167 140 83.8 3 1.8 24 14.4 Total 4072 3246 79.7 91 2.2 735 18.1
*Cancelled postal vote certificates are made up of: postal vote envelopes at polling places surrendered by electors voting in person; or postal vote packs prepared for registered postal voters prior to the electoral roll being printed and who were no longer enrolled; or postal packs forwarded to an elector who was travelling and who subsequently provided a more up to date address for a reissue
64 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
APPENDIX F (iii) Postal Vote Certificate Envelopes – Returns, Rejections/Admissions
Postal Certificate Envelopes
Returns Rejections/Admissions Division Total Returned Returned Examined Rejected Admitted Returned to Sender after for (RTS) Deadline Scrutiny No. % No. % Arafura 16 2 0 14 5 35.7 9 64.3 Araluen 139 5 13 121 6 5.0 115 95.0 Arnhem 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 0 0.0 Barkly 147 14 33 100 7 7.0 93 93.0 Blain 123 3 4 116 8 6.9 108 93.1 Braitling 113 3 9 101 16 15.8 85 84.2 Brennan 154 4 10 140 24 17.1 116 82.9 Casuarina 142 3 7 132 9 6.8 123 93.2 Daly 200 6 8 186 15 8.1 171 91.9 Drysdale 139 3 13 123 8 6.5 115 93.5 Fannie Bay 187 2 9 176 20 11.4 156 88.6 Fong Lim 174 2 11 161 19 11.8 142 88.2 Goyder 141 3 6 132 10 7.6 122 92.4 Greatorex 98 5 11 82 3 3.7 79 96.3 Johnston 185 5 4 176 11 6.3 165 93.8 Karama 170 4 9 157 11 7.0 146 93.0 Katherine 105 2 6 97 16 16.5 81 83.5 Macdonnell 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 0 0.0 Nelson 130 6 20 104 11 10.6 93 89.4 Nhulunbuy 26 0 4 22 0 0.0 22 100.0 Nightcliff 182 2 9 171 15 8.8 156 91.2 Port Darwin 235 2 20 213 16 7.5 197 92.5 Sanderson 158 1 5 152 13 8.6 139 91.4 Stuart 142 6 26 110 10 9.1 100 90.9 Wanguri 140 1 9 130 15 11.5 115 88.5 Totals 3246 84 246 2916 268 9.2 2648 90.8
65 APPENDIX G G. Mobile Polling Schedules for Each Division by Team
Team, Division & Location Date Times
Team 1 - Arafura Gunbalanya (Oenpelli) Thursday 31 July 2008 9:00am - 1:30pm Murgenella Thursday 31 July 2008 3:15pm - 3:45pm Black Point Ranger Station Thursday 31 July 2008 5:00pm - 5:30pm Minjilang Friday 1 August 2008 8:30am - 11:00am Warruwi (Goulburn Island) Friday 1 August 2008 1:00pm - 4:00pm Kapalga Research Station Monday 4 August 2008 10:00am - 10:30am Aurora Kakadu Resort Monday 4 August 2008 11:45am - 12:15pm Kakadu National Park Headquarters Monday 4 August 2008 1:45pm - 2:45pm Cannon Hill Tuesday 5 August 2008 8:00am - 9:00am Border Store (East Alligator) Tuesday 5 August 2008 10:00am - 11:00am Mudginberri Tuesday 5 August 2008 12:00pm - 1:00pm Mumakala Tuesday 5 August 2008 2:15pm - 2:45pm Gagudju Lodge Cooinda Tuesday 5 August 2008 4:30pm - 5:00pm Spring Peak Wednesday 6 August 2008 9:00am - 9:30 am Patonga Wednesday 6 August 2008 11:00am - 12:00pm Whistle Duck (Djirrbiyak) Community Wednesday 6 August 2008 1:15pm - 1:45pm Milikapiti (Snake Bay) Thursday 7 August 2008 8:15am - 12:00pm Pirlangimpi (Garden Point) Thursday 7 August 2008 1:30pm - 4:45pm Wurankuwu Friday 8 August 2008 8:15am - 9:15am Nguiu Friday 8 August 2008 10:30am - 4:30pm
Team 2 - Arafura Mamadawerre Monday 4 August 2008 9:15am - 10:15am Gumarrinbang Monday 4 August 2008 11:00am - 11:30am Marrkolidjban Monday 4 August 2008 12:30pm - 1:30pm Kumurrulu Monday 4 August 2008 2:15pm - 3:00pm Mumeka Monday 4 August 2008 3:45pm - 4:15pm Kurrurdul Tuesday 5 August 2008 8:00am - 8:30am Milmilngkan Tuesday 5 August 2008 9:00am - 9:30am Ngankorlord Tuesday 5 August 2008 10:30am - 11:00am Korlobirrahda Tuesday 5 August 2008 11:45am - 12:15pm Manmoyi Tuesday 5 August 2008 1:15pm - 2:45pm Yikarrakkal Tuesday 5 August 2008 3:30pm - 4:00pm Ji-Marda Wednesday 6 August 2008 8:00 am - 8:45 am Yilan Wednesday 6 August 2008 9:30am - 10:00am Djimalawa (Ji-Malawa) Wednesday 6 August 2008 10:45am - 11:30am Wurdeja Wednesday 6 August 2008 12:15pm - 1:45pm Jibana Wednesday 6 August 2008 2:30pm - 3:00pm Gochan Jiny-Jirra Wednesday 6 August 2008 3:45pm - 4:45pm Ji Balbal Thursday 7 August 2008 8:00am - 8:30am Gamardi Thursday 7 August 2008 9:15am - 10:00am Malyangarnak Thursday 7 August 2008 11:00am - 11:30am Buluhkaduru Thursday 7 August 2008 12:30pm - 1:30pm Bolkjam Thursday 7 August 2008 2:15pm - 2:45pm Kabulwarnamyo Thursday 7 August 2008 3:30pm - 4:00pm Maningrida Friday 8 August 2008 8:00am - 2:30pm
66 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
Mobile Polling Schedules for Each Division by Team (Continued)
Team, Division & Location Date Times
Team 3 - Araluen *Old Timers Aged Care Facility Thursday 7 August 2008 9:00am - 11:00am *Alice Springs Renal Unit Thursday 7 August 2008 12:00pm - 3:00pm *Alice Springs Hospital Friday 8 August 2008 9:00am - 11:15am *Alice Springs Renal Unit Friday 8 August 2008 12:00pm - 3:00pm Yarrenyty-Arltere Saturday 9 August 2008 9:00am - 11:00am
Team 4 - Arnhem Ramingining Thursday 7 August 2008 10:30am - 12:30pm Alyangula Thursday 7 August 2008 2:45pm - 4:30pm Ngukurr Friday 8 August 2008 9:45am - 11:45am
Team 6 - Barkly Ucharonidge Station Thursday 31 July 2008 11:00am - 11:30am Walhallow Station Thursday 31 July 2008 1:00pm - 1:30pm Kiana Station Thursday 31 July 2008 3:00pm - 3:30pm Robinson River Station Friday 1 August 2008 8:00am - 9:30am Wollogorang Station Friday 1 August 2008 11:00am - 11:30am Alexandria Station Friday 1 August 2008 1:30pm - 2:00pm Alroy Downs Friday 1 August 2008 3:15pm - 3:45pm Barkly Homestead Friday 1 August 2008 4:30pm - 5:00pm Lake Nash Saturday 2 August 2008 8:15am - 8:45am Alpurrurulam Saturday 2 August 2008 9:45am - 1:15pm Avon Downs Saturday 2 August 2008 3:00pm - 3:30pm Corella Creek Monday 4 August 2008 9:00am - 9:45am Connells Lagoon Monday 4 August 2008 12:00pm - 12:30pm Brunette Downs Monday 4 August 2008 2:45pm - 3:15pm Rockhampton Downs Station Tuesday 5 August 2008 9:00am - 9:30am Wogyala (Rockhampton Downs) Tuesday 5 August 2008 10:15am - 10:45am Mungalawurru Tuesday 5 August 2008 3:00pm - 3:30pm Mangkar (McLaren Creek) Wednesday 6 August 2008 9:00am - 10:00am Tara (Neutral Junction) Wednesday 6 August 2008 12:30pm - 1:30pm Wauchope Wednesday 6 August 2008 3:30 pm - 4:00pm Imangara (Murray Downs) Thursday 7 August 2008 9:00am - 10:00am Ali Curung Thursday 7 August 2008 12:00pm - 3:30pm Canteen Creek Friday 8 August 2008 10:30am - 12:00pm Wutungurra (Epenarra) Friday 8 August 2008 2:00pm - 3:30pm Kurundi Station Saturday 9 August 2008 8:45am - 9:15am Kalinjarri Saturday 9 August 2008 11:15am - 11:45am *Tennant Creek Hospital Saturday 9 August 2008 1:30pm - 3:30pm *Pulkapulkka Kari Nursing Home Saturday 9 August 2008 4:15pm - 4:45pm
67
Mobile Polling Schedules for Each Division by Team (Continued)
Team, Division & Location Date Times
Team 7 - Barkly Jilkminggan Monday 4 August 2008 12:30pm - 2:00pm Badawarrka Monday 4 August 2008 4:30pm - 5:00pm Roper Bar Monday 4 August 2008 5:45 pm - 6:15 pm Minyeri (Hodgson Downs) Tuesday 5 August 2008 9:30am - 12:30pm Daly Waters Tuesday 5 August 2008 5:00pm - 5:30pm Daly Waters Hi Way Inn Wednesday 6 August 2008 8:00am - 8:30am Newcastle Waters Station Wednesday 6 August 2008 10:30am - 11:30am Elliott Wednesday 6 August 2008 1:00pm - 4:30pm Mallapunyah Springs Thursday 7 August 2008 1:00pm - 1:30pm McArthur River Mine Thursday 7 August 2008 4:00pm - 7:00pm Cape Crawford Friday 8 August 2008 8:00 am - 8:30 am Mara Community Friday 8 August 2008 11:30am - 3:00pm King Ash Bay Saturday 9 August 2008 9:15am - 10:15am Borroloola Saturday 9 August 2008 12:00pm -6:00pm
Team 27 - Braitling Ilperle Tyathe Saturday 9 August 2008 9:00am - 11:00am
Team 8 - Brennan *Palmerston Renal Unit Tuesday 5 August 2008 9:30am - 10:30am *Terrace Gardens Tuesday 5 August 2008 11:45 am - 1:00 pm *Palmerston Renal Unit Tuesday 5 August 2008 2:15pm - 3:15pm *Palmerston Renal Unit Wednesday 6 August 2008 9:30am - 10:30am *Palmerston Renal Unit Wednesday 6 August 2008 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm
Team 9 - Casuarina *Tiwi Gardens Aged Care Wednesday 6 August 2008 11:45am - 1:00pm
Team 10 - Daly Bark Hut Inn Monday 4 August 2008 9:00am - 9:30am Corroboree Park Tavern Monday 4 August 2008 11:00am - 12:30pm Lake Bennett Monday 4 August 2008 2:30pm - 4:00pm Wooliana Tuesday 5 August 2008 9:30am - 10:00am Daly River Tuesday 5 August 2008 11:30am - 12:30pm Nauiyu Nambiyu Tuesday 5 August 2008 1:45pm - 5:00pm Belyuen Wednesday 6 August 2008 12:30pm - 1:30pm Wagait Beach Wednesday 6 August 2008 2:45pm - 7:00pm Woolaning Thursday 7 August 2008 9:00am - 9:30am Bul Gul Thursday 7 August 2008 11:30am - 12:00pm Sand Palms Thursday 7 August 2008 3:30pm - 5:30pm Dundee Friday 8 August 2008 8:45am - 11:15am Acacia Larrakia Friday 8 August 2008 1:45pm - 2:30pm Adelaide River Saturday 9 August 2008 8:00am - 12:00pm Acacia Hills Saturday 9 August 2008 1:45pm - 5:00pm
68 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
Mobile Polling Schedules for Each Division by Team (Continued)
Team, Division & Location Date Times
Team 11 - Daly Douglas Daly Research Farm Tuesday 5 August 2008 8:15am - 8:45am Tipperary Station Tuesday 5 August 2008 10:00am - 10:30am Emu Point Tuesday 5 August 2008 12:00pm - 12:30pm Nemarluk Tuesday 5 August 2008 1:45pm - 2:15pm Peppimenarti Tuesday 5 August 2008 3:30pm - 5:30pm Palumpa (Nganmarriyanga) Wednesday 6 August 2008 8:00am - 10:30am Wudapuli Wednesday 6 August 2008 12:00pm - 1:00pm Nadirri Wednesday 6 August 2008 1:45pm - 2:15pm Woodykupildiya Wednesday 6 August 2008 3:15pm - 4:15pm Wadeye - Pungin Friday 8 August 2008 8:00am - 12:00pm Wadeye - Ngumik North Friday 8 August 2008 12:30pm - 1:30pm Wadeye - Ngumik South Friday 8 August 2008 2:00pm - 3:00pm Wadeye - Creek Camp Friday 8 August 2008 3:30pm - 4:30pm Wadeye - Pambuk Saturday 9 August 2008 8:00am - 9:00am Wadeye - Yulmugum Saturday 9 August 2008 10:00am - 12:00pm Wadeye - Melpi Saturday 9 August 2008 12:30pm - 12:45pm Wadeye (Port Keats) Saturday 9 August 2008 1:30pm - 6:00pm
Team 12 - Fong Lim *Darwin Correctional Centre Thursday 7 August 2008 9:15am - 2:15pm Bagot Community Saturday 9 August 2008 8:45am - 1:00pm
Team 28 - Greatorex Ewyenenper-Atwatye Saturday 9 August 2008 9:00am - 11:00am
Team 13 - Johnston *Nightcliff Renal Unit Tuesday 5 August 2008 11:00am - 2:00pm *Nightcliff Renal Unit Wednesday 6 August 2008 11:30am - 2:00pm
Team 14 - Katherine Walpri Camp (Katherine) Wednesday 6 August 2008 8:30am - 9:30am Jodetluk Wednesday 6 August 2008 11:00am - 12:00pm Edith Farms Wednesday 6 August 2008 3:00pm - 5:30pm *Katherine Renal Unit Thursday 7 August 2008 8:00am - 8:30am *Katherine Hospital Thursday 7 August 2008 8:30am - 10:45am *Red Cross Aged Care Thursday 7 August 2008 11:30am - 12:15pm *Katherine Region Aged & Disability Thursday 7 August 2008 1:00pm - 1:30pm *Katherine Renal Unit Thursday 7 August 2008 2:15pm - 2:45pm *Katherine Renal Unit Friday 8 August 2008 8:00am - 8:30am Rockhole Friday 8 August 2008 9:45am - 11:00am *Katherine Renal Unit Friday 8 August 2008 2:30pm - 3:00pm Binjari Saturday 9 August 2008 8:30am - 12:00pm
Team 40 - Macdonnell Kulgera Tuesday 5 August 2008 11:00am - 12:00pm Yulara Wednesday 6 August 2008 8:00am - 11:00am Kings Canyon Resort Wednesday 6 August 2008 5:00pm - 6:00pm Hermannsburg (Ntaria) Thursday 7 August 2008 11:00am - 12:00pm *Alice Springs Correction Centre Friday 8 August 2008 8:30am - 12:00pm
69
Mobile Polling Schedules for Each Division by Team (Continued)
Team, Division & Location Date Times
Team 20 - Nhulunbuy Banthula Thursday 31 July 2008 12:00pm - 12:30pm Gan Gan Friday 1 August 2008 8:30am - 10:00am Dhuruputjpi Friday 1 August 2008 11:15am - 11:45am Rurrungala Friday 1 August 2008 1:00pm - 1:30pm Wandawuy Friday 1 August 2008 2:45pm - 3:45pm Yilpara Saturday 2 August 2008 8:30am - 10:30am Buymarr Saturday 2 August 2008 12:00pm - 12:30pm Dhalinbuy Saturday 2 August 2008 1:45pm - 2:45pm Yangumbi Saturday 2 August 2008 4:00pm - 4:30pm Galiwinku Monday 4 August 2008 8:15am - 3:30pm Mapuru Tuesday 5 August 2008 8:30am - 9:00am Langara Tuesday 5 August 2008 10:15am - 10:45am Mata Mata Tuesday 5 August 2008 12:15pm - 12:45pm Rorruwuy Tuesday 5 August 2008 2:00pm - 2:30pm Garrthalala Wednesday 6 August 2008 8:15am - 9:00am Birany Birany Wednesday 6 August 2008 10:15am - 10:45am Gurrumuru Wednesday 6 August 2008 12:15pm - 1:00pm Barrkira Thursday 7 August 2008 8:00am - 8:30am Gutangan (Bremer Island) Thursday 7 August 2008 10:00am - 10:30am Galupa Thursday 7 August 2008 12:30pm - 1:00pm Gunyangara Thursday 7 August 2008 2:15pm - 4:45pm Yirrkala Friday 8 August 2008 8:00am - 1:00pm *Nhulunbuy Hospital Friday 8 August 2008 2:15pm - 3:30pm Gulkula (Garma Festival) Saturday 9 August 2008 9:00am - 1:00pm
Team 21 - Nightcliff *Juninga Centre Tuesday 5 August 2008 9:00am - 10:15am
Team 22 - Port Darwin *Tracy Aged Care Wednesday 6 August 2008 9:00am - 10:15am *Darwin Nursing Home Wednesday 6 August 2008 3:30pm - 4:00pm
Team 23 - Stuart Yuelamu Thursday 31 July 2008 8:45am - 10:45am Laramba Thursday 31 July 2008 12:45pm - 3:00pm Nyirrpi Friday 1 August 2008 9:30am - 1:00pm Yuendumu Saturday 2 August 2008 9:30am - 2:30pm Mulga Bore Monday 4 August 2008 10:15am - 11:45am Alyuen Monday 4 August 2008 3:30pm - 4:00pm Wilora Tuesday 5 August 2008 8:15am - 9:45am Nturiya Tuesday 5 August 2008 11:45am - 1:15pm Pmara Jutunta Tuesday 5 August 2008 2:30pm - 5:00pm Willowra Wednesday 6 August 2008 10:00am - 2:00pm Ti Tree Thursday 7 August 2008 8:00am - 12:00pm
70 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
Mobile Polling Schedules for Each Division by Team (Continued)
Team, Division & Location Date Times
Team 24 - Stuart Lajamanu Monday 4 August 2008 8:00am - 2:30pm Kalkaringi Tuesday 5 August 2008 8:30am - 12:00pm Daguragu Tuesday 5 August 2008 2:00pm - 4:30pm Pigeon Hole Wednesday 6 August 2008 9:30am - 11:00am Top Springs Wednesday 6 August 2008 2:00pm - 2:30pm Victoria River Downs Wednesday 6 August 2008 6:00pm - 7:00pm Lingara Thursday 7 August 2008 8:30am - 9:15am Yarralin Thursday 7 August 2008 11:00am - 1:30pm Werenbun Friday 8 August 2008 8:30am - 9:30am Kybrook Farm Friday 8 August 2008 11:15am - 12:45pm
Team 25 - Stuart Barunga Friday 1 August 2008 8:30am - 11:30am Manyallaluk Friday 1 August 2008 1:30pm - 3:00pm Beswick Saturday 2 August 2008 9:30am - 2:00pm Mistake Creek Monday 4 August 2008 9:30am - 10:00am Amanbidji Monday 4 August 2008 11:30am - 12:45pm Bulla Camp Monday 4 August 2008 2:15pm - 3:30pm Djarrung Tuesday 5 August 2008 10:30am - 11:00am Mengen Tuesday 5 August 2008 1:30pm - 2:30pm Keep River Rangers Station Wednesday 6 August 2008 10:30am - 11:00am Gilwi Wednesday 6 August 2008 3:00pm - 3:30pm Myatt Thursday 7 August 2008 8:00am - 9:30am Barrak Barrak Thursday 7 August 2008 11:30am - 12:00pm Timber Creek Friday 8 August 2008 8:00am - 11:00am Victoria River Roadhouse Friday 8 August 2008 12:30pm - 1:30pm Larrimah Saturday 9 August 2008 9:30am - 10:00am Mataranka Saturday 9 August 2008 12:00pm- 2:30pm
Team 26 - Wanguri *Darwin Private Hospital Friday 8 August 2008 8:45am - 10:45am *Royal Darwin Hospital Friday 8 August 2008 11:30am - 5:00pm
* Mobile polling location limited to class of voter eg an inpatient of a hospital or a prisoner in a correction facility
71 APPENDIX H H. Unenrolled Declaration Envelope Details by Division
Rejected at Preliminary Scrutiny No. No. Division Admitted Envelopes to Not Found Enrolled No Elector Total Lodged Scrutiny On Roll Other Signature Rejected Divisions
Arafura 70 8 50 6 6 62 Araluen 25 4 13 8 0 21 Arnhem 0 0 0 0 0 0 Barkly 86 6 71 8 1 80 Blain 45 2 38 5 0 43 Braitling 20 2 9 6 3 18 Brennan 63 2 48 12 1 61 Casuarina 32 4 23 5 0 28 Daly 40 2 31 3 4 38 Drysdale 46 2 38 6 0 44 Fannie Bay 39 4 24 10 1 35 Fong Lim 38 4 24 7 3 34 Goyder 19 0 14 5 0 19 Greatorex 17 1 13 3 0 16 Johnston 45 9 31 5 0 36 Karama 48 4 39 2 3 44 Katherine 80 15 48 14 3 65 Macdonnell 0 0 0 0 0 0 Nelson 42 2 29 9 2 40 Nhulunbuy 36 12 21 3 0 24 Nightcliff 39 1 36 2 0 38 Port Darwin 45 6 34 4 1 39 Sanderson 33 1 21 10 1 32 Stuart 40 11 21 7 1 29 Wanguri 33 3 20 10 0 30 Total 981 105 696 150 30 876
72 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
APPENDIX I I. Informal Ballot Paper Details by Division (i) Informal Ballot Papers at LA Elections 2005 - 2008: Rural/Remote Divisions 2005 2008 Apparent Apparent Apparent Apparent Deliberate Unintentional Deliberate Unintentional Divisions Informality Informality Informality Informality
Total Total
No. Candidates No. Candidates No. % No. % No. Candidates No. % No. % Arafura 3 52 34.9 97 65.1 149 4 38 21.2 141 78.8 179 Arnhem 3 57 30.3 144 69.7 201 1 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 Barkly 3 53 44.9 65 55.1 118 4 46 31.9 98 68.1 144 Daly 4 62 34.2 119 65.6 181 4 52 32.1 110 67.9 162 Goyder 5 74 54.1 63 45.9 137 2 94 55.6 75 44.4 169 Macdonnell 5 48 20.5 187 79.6 235 1 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 Nhulunbuy 2 44 36.1 78 63.9 122 2 44 42.7 59 57.3 103 Stuart 2 30 25.9 86 74.1 116 2 38 35.8 68 64.2 106 Total 27 420 33.4 839 66.6 1259 20 312 36.2 551 63.8 863
73
(ii) Informal Ballot Papers at LA Elections 2005 - 2008: Urban Divisions
2005 2008
Apparent Apparent Apparent Apparent Divisions Deliberate Unintentional Deliberate Unintentional Informality Informality Informality Informality
No. Candidates No. Candidates No. % No. % Total No. Candidates No. % No. % Total Araluen 3 70 63.6 40 36.4 110 3 60 66.7 30 33.3 90 Blain 4 82 60.3 54 39.7 136 2 119 60.1 79 39.9 198 Braitling 3 64 66.0 33 34.0 97 4 78 75.7 25 24.3 103 Brennan 3 92 76.7 28 23.3 120 2 107 62.9 63 37.1 170 Casuarina 4 64 66.7 32 33.3 96 2 119 59.8 80 37.1 199 Drysdale 2 89 52.0 82 48.0 171 3 100 74.1 35 25.9 135 Fannie Bay 3 75 65.2 40 34.8 115 2 126 62.1 77 37.9 203 Greatorex 3 59 61.5 37 38.5 96 3 61 68.5 28 31.5 89 Johnston 5 62 54.4 52 45.6 114 2 109 52.9 97 47.1 206 Karama 2 104 52.5 94 47.5 198 4 110 65.9 57 34.1 167 Katherine 2 65 48.1 70 51.9 135 3 95 75.4 31 24.6 126 Millner/ Fong Lim 5 62 60.3 41 39.8 103 2 100 52.4 91 47.6 191 Nelson 3 54 60.7 35 39.3 89 3 45 54.9 37 45.1 82 Nightcliff 5 50 54.4 42 45.6 92 3 69 54.9 50 42.0 119 Port Darwin 2 82 53.9 70 46.1 152 2 76 72.4 29 27.6 105 Sanderson 2 72 48.0 78 52.0 150 2 154 62.3 93 37.7 247 Wanguri 2 70 56.0 55 44.0 125 4 85 73.9 30 26.1 115 Total 53 1216 57.9 883 42.1 2099 46 1613 63.4 932 36.6 2545
(iii) Informal Ballot Papers at LA Elections 2005 – 2008
2005 2008 Apparent Apparent Apparent Apparent Division Deliberate Unintentional Deliberate Unintentional Type Informality Informality Informality Informality
No. % No. % Total No. % No. % Total No. Candidates No. Candidates No. Candidates Rural/Remote 27 420 33.4 839 66.6 1259 20 312 36.2 551 63.8 863 Urban 53 1216 57.9 883 42.1 2099 46 1613 63.4 932 36.6 2545
Total 80 1636 48.7 1722 51.3 3358 66 1925 56.5 1483 43.5 3408
74 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
APPENDIX J J. Two Candidate Preferred (2CP) Full Distribution Margin
% of 2CP Vote above 50% Division ALP CLP GRNS IND Margin
Fannie Bay 51.1 48.9 1.1
Fong Lim 47.9 52.1 2.1
Brennan 47.4 52.6 2.6
Port Darwin 47.2 52.8 2.8
Daly 55.6 44.4 5.6
Sanderson 43.6 56.4 6.4
Johnston 58.1 41.9 8.1
Goyder 41.6 58.4 8.4
Katherine 41.6 58.4 8.4
Drysdale 39.9 60.1 10.1
Nightcliff 60.7 39.3 10.7
Karama 60.8 39.2 10.8
Blain 38.4 61.6 11.6
Arafura 64.0 36.0 14.0
Casuarina 64.2 35.8 14.2
Wanguri 64.9 35.1 14.9
Stuart 65.1 34.9 15.1
Barkly 65.6 34.4 15.6
Greatorex 33.5 66.5 16.5
Braitling 70.3 29.7 20.3
Nhulunbuy 74.2 25.8 24.2
Araluen 25.3 74.7 24.7
Nelson 21.3 78.7 28.7
Arnhem Elected unopposed 2008 - Margin at 2005 election was 23.9
Macdonnell Elected unopposed 2008 - Margin at 2005 election was 11.8
75 APPENDIX K K. ALP/CLP Preferred Count by Division
ALP CLP Division Candidate Votes % Candidate Votes %
Arafura Scrymgour 1802 64.0 Mungatopi 1015 36.0
Araluen Gaynor 915 25.3 Carney 2699 74.7
Arnhem McCarthy Elected Unopposed No Election
Barkly McCarthy 1914 65.6 Adams 1002 34.4
Blain Vowles 1410 38.4 Mills 2258 61.6
Braitling Dick 935 26.5 Giles 2588 73.5
Brennan Burke 1807 47.4 Chandler 2009 52.6
Casuarina Vatskalis 2397 64.2 Haslett 1339 35.8
Daly Knight 1827 55.6 Connop 1458 44.4
Drysdale Natt 1457 39.9 Bohlin 2199 60.1
Fannie Bay Gunner 1878 51.1 Lambert 1800 48.9
Fong Lim Bonson 1685 47.9 Tollner 1831 52.1
Goyder Warren 1556 41.6 Purick 2183 58.4
Greatorex Nixon 1208 33.5 Conlan 2396 66.5
Johnston Burns 2246 58.1 Sangster 1618 41.9
Karama Lawrie 2420 60.8 Bacus 1560 39.2
Katherine Hillen 1499 41.6 Westra Van Holthe 2106 58.4
Macdonnell Anderson Elected Unopposed No Election
Nelson Lauders-Searle 1061 31.4 Kohlman 2313 68.6
Nhulunbuy Walker 1936 74.2 Marika 674 25.8
Nightcliff Aagaard 2293 60.7 Manning 1485 39.3
Port Darwin Sacilotto 1569 47.2 Elferink 1757 52.8
Sanderson Kiely 1723 43.6 Styles 2231 56.4
Stuart Hampton 1470 65.1 Japanangka 789 34.9
Wanguri Henderson 2407 64.9 Kyriacou 1304 35.1
76 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
APPENDIX L L. Swing-to-Lose (%) after 2008 Election
(13) Labor Non-Labor - CLP/ IND (12)
30%
28.8 Nelson Wood
25% Walker Nhulunbuy 24.3 24.8 Araluen Carney McCarthy M Arnhem# 24.0
20% 20.4 Braitling Giles
16.6 Greatorex Conlan McCarthy G Barkly 15.7 Hampton Stuart 15.2 Henderson Wanguri 15.0 15% Vatskalis Casuarina 14.3 Scrymgour Arafura 14.1
Anderson* Macdonnell # 11.9 11.7 Blain Mills Lawrie Karama 10.9
Aagard Nightcliff 10.8 10% 10.2 Drysdale Bohlin Safe >10%
8.5 Katherine Westra van Holthe 8.5 Goyder Purick Burns Johnston 8.2
6.5 Sanderson Styles safe Fairly 6-10% Knight Daly 5.7 5%
2.9 Port Darwin Elferink 2.7 Brennan Chandler 2.2 Fong Lim Tollner Gunner Fannie Bay 1.2
0% Marginal 0-5.99%
# 2005 result, uncontested in 2008, boundaries of both divisions affected by redistribution in 2008 * left ALP August 2009
Swing v ALP 2008 approx 8.6%
77 APPENDIX M M. Summary of the JSCEM Recommendations Refer Report on the conduct of the 2007 federal election and matters related thereto, June 2009, Canberra
Recommendations that have already been adopted in current NT LA Law and practice
Redesign of the witness declaration on the postal vote to facilitate determination to accept/reject the vote. Provision for the mobile polling of town camps. Pre-poll voting in an elector’s division to be processed as an ordinary vote. Ordinary votes cast at pre-poll voting centres to be counted on polling night. Preliminary scrutinies to be conducted as much as possible before polling day. Mobile polling to be permitted at mining camps. Endeavour to give party workers some display capacity where pre-poll centres are located in shopping centres.
Recommendations related to enrolment (N.B. These would have direct impact on Territory enrolment if adopted by the Commonwealth)
Declaration vote envelopes to be redesigned to include driver’s licence/passport numbers to facilitate enrolment update following the processing of the declaration vote. Enrolment ‘Proof of Identity’ to apply for each elector only once and to include a driver’s licence number, Australian passport number or signature of another enrolled elector. Any written form to be acceptable to change address on the roll if the elector has previously supplied ‘Proof of Identity’. Creation of a website for elector enrolment. The roll to be directly updated from information provided by the elector or trusted agency. Applicants for Australian citizenship to be provisionally enrolled until granted citizenship. The age for provisional enrolment to be lowered from 17 to 16. Reinstatement of currently disqualified prisoners serving sentences for three years or longer.
Recommendations that may be considered under harmonisation
Adoption of set rules on the admission and rejection of provisional votes and reinstatement of electors on the roll where they have been removed by objection for non-residence since the last election/redistribution. Relaxation of the postal vote application process by eliminating the need for the signature of the applicant and witness, in order to facilitate electronic lodgement. Efforts to achieve a harmonised enrolment regime for all States/Territories and the Commonwealth. Inclusion of a definition of ‘homelessness’ in the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918. Provision of mobile/pre-poll voting facilities for the homeless and itinerant electors at the discretion of the AEC.
78 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
Electors casting ordinary votes at pre-poll centres to sign a declaration. Personal safety to be criterion for postal voting and pre-poll voting. The definitions of ‘Hospital’ and ‘Special Hospital’ in the Commonwealth Electoral Act to be widened to include aged care facilities and permit staff as well as inpatients to vote. Provision of written confirmation to patients of special hospitals when they vote by mobile polling. Postal applications to be made more ‘user friendly’, gazetted three months before an election and the approved section to apply to the portion to be completed by the applicant. Reinstatement of a saving provision to allow some ballot papers not marked sequentially to be treated as formal votes. The adoption of recommendations of the ‘Henderson Report’ that reviewed ballot paper formality guidelines and recount policy The divisional returning officer to endorse certain ballot papers that satisfy him/her in respect of authenticity. Ballot papers to be printed with ‘a scrutiny feature’ approved by the AEC. The AEC to be resourced appropriately to provide high quality electoral services and in a manner that does not compromise the integrity of the electoral system. The establishment of a more flexible regime for the authorisation of approved forms by the AEC. AEC to be able to use electronic lists in polling places and pre-poll centres. Adoption of most of the technical and operational changes proposed by the AEC in its submission 169. The Commonwealth Electoral Act to be amended to: o permit penalties associated with false/misleading statements to be increased; o prohibit the unauthorised photocopying/photography of the roll provided for public inspection.
Recommendations that should not be considered under NT harmonisation
Criteria for postal and pre-poll voting to include absence from home division. The Commonwealth Electoral Act to be amended to extend the period for hospital mobile voting to 12 days before polling day.
Recommendations relating only to AEC law and practice
The roll for an election to be closed 7 days after the issue of the writ for that election. Repeal of provisions of the Act relating to ‘Proof of Identity’ for provisional voters. The AEC introduce a ‘bounty scheme’ for enrolment forms. The AEC ensure national consistency, wherever possible, to improve enrolment participation. The AEC develop enrolment based targets for each State/Territory and provide details in their annual report.
79 Funding be provided for the reestablishment of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Electoral Information Service. The AEC provide appropriate training for polling officials servicing electors with special needs. The AEC make additional efforts to reduce informal voting, especially amongst Non-English speaking electors. Retention of the National Tally Room. Enrolment transactions to be processed outside the division but in the same State/Territory in non-election periods. Roll-out changes made to the Commonwealth Electoral Act to the Referendum (Machinery) Act. Continuation of the work by the AEC with organisations for the vision impaired to achieve viable and sustainable voting arrangements. An option for senators to be provided with an electronic copy of the roll. Retention of provisions of the Commonwealth Electoral Act in respect to: o enrolment and voting by eligible overseas electors; o the current counting system for Senate vacancies; o the supply of the roll to prescribed agents, including the finance industry.
80 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
PART 2 NT AND DIVISION SNAPSHOTS
81 82 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
DIVISION SNAPSHOTS AND RESULTS
NT LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY ELECTORAL DIVISIONS AND ELECTORS ON ROLL 2008 Arafura 4924 Greatorex 4823
Araluen 4963 Johnston 4931
Arnhem 4660 Karama 4935
Barkly 4702 Katherine 4921
Blain 4825 Macdonnell 4865
Braitling 4944 Nelson 4635
Brennan 4966 Nhulunbuy 4532
Casuarina 4680 Nightcliff 4945
Daly 4662 Port Darwin 4741
Drysdale 4742 Sanderson 4852
Fannie Bay 4943 Stuart 4481
Fong Lim 4885 Wanguri 4558
Goyder 4699 Total 119 814
Geographic Classification: Northern Territory Area: 1 620 197 sq km
Number of Static and Mobile Polling Locations 2008
Static Polling Places 47 Mobile Polling Places 217
NT Elector Age Profile NT Electors by Gender at Roll Close Gender No. % Female 59 856 <50.0 25.0% 20.0% Male 59 958 >50.0 15.0% Total 119 814 10.0% 5.0% 0.0% 18-25 26-35 36-45 46-55 56-65 66+ Age Range
83 DIVISION OF ARAFURA
Geographic Classification: Remote Area: 156 087sq km
Polling Locations 2008
Static Polling Place Mudginberri Djimalawa (Ji-Malawa) Maningrida Jabiru Mumakala Gamardi Manmoyi Mobile Polling Team 1 Murgenella Gochan Jiny-Jirra Marrkolidjban Aurora Kakadu Resort Nguiu Gumarrinbang Milmilngkan Black Point Ranger Station Patonga Ji Balbal Mumeka Border Store (East Alligator) Pirlangimpi (Garden Point) Jibana Ngankorlord Cannon Hill Spring Peak Ji-Marda Wurdeja Gagudju Lodge Cooinda Warruwi (Goulburn Island) Kabulwarnamyo Yikarrakkal Gunbalanya (Oenpelli) Whistle Duck (Djirrbiyak) Korlobirrahda Yilan Kakadu National Park Headquarters Wurankuwu Kumurrulu Kapalga Research Station Mobile Polling Team 2 Kurrurdul Milikapiti (Snake Bay) Bolkjam Malyangarnak Minjilang Buluhkaduru Mamadawerre
Elector Age Profile Electors by Gender at Roll Close
Arafura Northern Territory Gender No. % 30% Female 2 460 <50.0 25% 20% Male 2 464 >50.0 15%
10% Total 4 924 5% 0% 18-25 26-35 36-45 46-55 56-65 66+ Age Range
84 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
DIVISION OF ARAFURA
RESULT OF POLL 9 AUGUST 2008 Electors on Roll - 4924 Informal Ballot Papers - 6.0% Voter Turnout - 60.8% Margin - 787 1st Preference Votes for each Candidate Ballot Papers Counted Polling Place/Declaration Type MUNGATOPI SCRYMGOUR LOTU SIEBERT (CLP) (ALP) (IND) (CLP) Formal Informal Total
Jabiru 14 137 52 85 288 10 298
Mobile 1 445 722 276 179 1622 113 1735 Mobile 2 26 210 127 163 526 42 568
Prepoll 6 68 15 26 115 7 122
Postal (9) Declaration (8) 3 9 2 2 16 1 17
Absent 50 154 15 31 250 6 256
TOTAL BALLOT PAPERS COUNTED 544 1300 487 486 2817 179 2996 % 19.3 46.1 17.3 17.3 94.0 6.0
DISTRIBUTION OF PREFERENCES MUNGATOPI SCRYMGOUR LOTU SIEBERT Distribution of Preferences Total Formal Votes (CLP) (ALP) (IND) (CLP)
1st Preference Votes 544 1300 487 486 2817 Siebert excluded (486) 148 141 197 -486 0 Progressive total 692 1441 684 0 2817 Lotu excluded (684) 323 361 -684 0 TOTAL VOTES 1015 1802 0 2817 % 36.0 64.0 0.0 0.0 94.0
Two Candidate Preferred RESULT Mungatopi CLP Marion Scrymgour - Australian Labor Party 36.0% elected, following the distribution of preferences, as the member for the Division of Arafura Scrymgour ALP 64.0%
PREVIOUS MEMBERS AFFILIATION PERIOD M R Scrymgour ALP 2001 - Present M J Rioli ALP 1992 - 2001 S G Tipiloura ALP 1987 - 1992 B Collins ALP 1983 - 1987
85 DIVISION OF ARALUEN
Geographic Classification: Urban Area: 192 sq km
Polling Locations 2008
Static Polling Place Mobile Polling Team 3 Gillen Primary School Alice Springs Hospital Yirara College Alice Springs Renal Unit Old Timers Aged Care Facility Yarrenyty-Arltere
Elector Age Profile Electors by Gender at Roll Close
Araluen Northern Territory Gender No. % 30% Female 2 569 51.8 25% Male 2 394 48.2 20%
15% Total 4 963
10%
5%
0% 18-25 26-35 36-45 46-55 56-65 66+
Age Range
86 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
DIVISION OF ARALUEN RESULT OF POLL 9 AUGUST 2008 Electors on Roll - 4963 Informal Ballot Papers - 2.4% Voter Turnout - 74.6% Margin - 1784 1st Preference Votes for each Candidate Ballot Papers Counted Polling Place/Declaration Type CHELLEW CARNEY GAYNOR (GRNS) (CLP) (ALP) Formal Informal Total
Gillen 267 1482 304 2053 44 2097 Yirara 65 229 48 342 4 346
Mobile 3 9 27 33 69 8 77
Pre-poll 77 414 128 619 13 632
Postal (115) Declaration (4) 11 90 14 115 4 119
Absent 97 228 91 416 17 433
TOTAL BALLOT PAPERS COUNTED 526 2470 618 3614 90 3704 % 14.6 68.3 17.1 97.6 2.4
DISTRIBUTION OF PREFERENCES
CHELLEW CARNEY GAYNOR Distribution of Preferences Total Formal Votes (GRNS) (CLP) (ALP)
1st Preference Votes 526 2470 618 3614 Chellew excluded (526) -526 229 297 0 TOTAL VOTES 0 2699 915 3614 % 0.0 74.7 25.3 97.6
Two Candidate Preferred RESULT Carney CLP Jodeen Carney - Country Liberal Party 74.7% elected, by an absolute majority on primary votes, as the member for the Division of Araluen Gaynor ALP 25.3%
PREVIOUS MEMBERS AFFILIATION PERIOD J T Carney CLP 2001 - Present E H Poole CLP 1986 - 2001 J R Robertson CLP 1983 - 1986
87 DIVISION OF ARNHEM
Geographic Classification: Remote Area: 99 269 sq km
Polling Locations 2008 (Absent voting only)
Static Polling Place Mobile Polling Team 4 Alyangula Nil Ngukurr (Yugul Mangi) Ramingining
Elector Age Profile Electors by Gender at Roll Close
Arnhem Northern Territory Gender No. % 35%
30% Female 2 403 51.6 25% Male 2 257 48.4 20% Total 4 660 15%
10%
5%
0% 18-25 26-35 36-45 46-55 56-65 66+
Age Range
88 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
DIVISION OF ARNHEM
RESULT
Malarndirri McCarthy - Australian Labor Party elected unopposed, at the declaration of nominations on 28 July 2008, as the member for the Division of Arnhem
PREVIOUS MEMBERS AFFILIATION PERIOD M McCarthy ALP 2005 - Present J L Ah Kit ALP 1995 - 2005 W W Lanhupuy ALP 1983 - 1995
89 DIVISION OF BARKLY
Geographic Classification: Remote Area: 448 576 sq km
Polling Locations 2008
Static Polling Place Corella Creek Tennant Creek Hospital Daly Waters Hi Way Inn Tennant Creek Civic Hall Imangara (Murray Downs) Ucharonidge Station Elliott Mobile Polling Team 6 Kalinjarri Walhallow Station Jilkminggan Alexandria Station Kiana Station Wauchope King Ash Bay Ali Curung Kurundi Station Wogyala (Rockhampton Downs) Mallapunyah Springs Alpurrurulam Lake Nash Wollogorang Station Mara Community Alroy Downs Mangkar (McLaren Creek) Wutungurra (Epenarra) McArthur River Mine Avon Downs Mungalawurru Mobile Polling Team 7 Minyeri (Hodgson Downs) Barkly Homestead Pulkapulkka Kari Nursing Home Badawarrka Newcastle Waters Station Brunette Downs Robinson River Station Borroloola Roper Bar Canteen Creek Rockhampton Downs Station Cape Crawford Connells Lagoon Tara (Neutral Junction) Daly Waters
Elector Age Profile Electors by Gender at Roll Close
Barkly Northern Territory Gender No. % 30% Female 2 332 49.6 25% Male 2 370 50.4 20% Total 4 702 15%
10%
5%
0% 18-25 26-35 36-45 46-55 56-65 66+
Age Range
90 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
DIVISION OF BARKLY
RESULT OF POLL 9 AUGUST 2008 Electors on Roll - 4702 Informal Ballot Papers - 4.7% Voter Turnout - 65.1% Margin - 912 1st Preference Votes for each Candidate Ballot Papers Counted McCARTHY NATTRASS GOULD ADAMS Polling Place/ (ALP) (IND) (IND) (CLP) Declaration Type Formal Informal Total
Tennant Creek 420 23 114 314 871 35 906
Mobile 6 510 8 25 47 590 40 630 Mobile 7 503 14 30 164 711 36 747
Pre-poll 271 17 79 139 506 21 527
Postal 3 Postal (93) Declaration (6) Absent (4) 17 2 6 77 102 1 103
Absent 56 9 11 60 136 11 147
TOTAL BALLOT PAPERS COUNTED 1777 73 265 801 2916 144 3060 % 60.9 2.5 9.1 27.5 95.3 4.7
DISTRIBUTION OF PREFERENCES
McCARTHY NATTRASS GOULD ADAMS Distribution of Preferences Total Formal Votes (ALP) (IND) (IND) (CLP)
1st Preference Votes 1777 73 265 801 2916 Nattrass excluded (73) 21 -73 34 18 0 Progressive total 1798 0 299 819 2916 Gould excluded (299) 116 -299 183 0 TOTAL VOTES 1914 0 1002 2916 % 65.6 0.0 0.0 34.4 95.3
Two Candidate Preferred RESULT Adam s CLP Gerry McCarthy - Australian Labor Party 34.4% elected, by an absolute majority on primary votes, as the McCarthy member for the Division of Barkly ALP 65.6%
PREVIOUS MEMBERS AFFILIATION PERIOD G F McCarthy ALP 2008 - Present E McAdam ALP 2001 - 2008 M A Hickey ALP 1990 - 2001 I L Tuxworth CLP 1983 - 1990
91 DIVISION OF BLAIN
Geographic Classification: Urban Area: 18 sq km
Polling Locations 2008
Static Polling Place Moulden Park Primary School Gray Primary School Sacred Heart Primary School Woodroffe
Elector Age Profile Electors by Gender at Roll Close
Blain Northern Territory Gender No. % 30% Female 2 499 51.8 25% Male 2 326 48.2 20%
15% Total 4 825
10%
5%
0% 18-25 26-35 36-45 46-55 56-65 66+ Age Range
92 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
DIVISION OF BLAIN
RESULT OF POLL 9 AUGUST 2008 Electors on Roll - 4825 Informal Ballot Papers - 5.1% Voter Turnout - 80.1% Margin - 848 1st Preference Votes for each Candidate Ballot Papers Counted Polling Place/Declaration Type MILLS VOWLES (CLP) (ALP) Formal Informal Total
Gray 235 154 389 18 407 Moulden 450 319 769 46 815 Woodroffe 916 508 1424 74 1498
Pre-poll 271 164 435 23 458
Postal (108) Declaration (2) 81 29 110 0 110
Absent 305 236 541 37 578
TOTAL BALLOT PAPERS COUNTED 2258 1410 3668 198 3866 % 61.6 38.4 94.9 5.1
Two Candidate Preferred
RESULT Mills CLP 61.6% Terry Mills - Country Liberal Party elected, by an absolute majority on primary votes, as the member for the Division of Blain Vowles ALP 38.4%
PREVIOUS MEMBERS AFFILIATION PERIOD T K Mills CLP 1999 - Present B F Coulter CLP 1997 - 1999
93 DIVISION OF BRAITLING
Geographic Classification: Urban Area: 60 sq km
Polling Locations 2008
Static Polling Place Mobile Polling Team 27 Braitling Primary School Ilperle Tyathe Living Waters Lutheran School Larapinta
Elector Age Profile Electors by Gender at Roll Close
Braitling Northern Territory Gender No. % 25% Female 2 562 51.8 20% Male 2 382 48.2 15% Total 4 944
10%
5%
0% 18-25 26-35 36-45 46-55 56-65 66+
AgeRange
94 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
DIVISION OF BRAITLING
RESULT OF POLL 9 AUGUST 2008 Electors on Roll - 4944 Informal Ballot Papers - 2.8% Voter Turnout - 73.3% Margin - 1427 1st Preference Votes for each Candidate Ballot Papers Counted Polling Place/Declaration Type DICK GILES MELKY CLARK (ALP) (CLP) (IND) (GRNS) Formal Informal Total
Braitling 144 835 234 226 1439 37 1476 Larapinta 113 622 129 137 1001 33 1034
Mobile 27 3 1 2 1 7 3 10
Pre-poll 75 284 63 70 492 9 501
Postal (85) Declaration (2) Absent (19) 20 61 13 12 106 0 106
Absent 94 249 55 80 478 21 499
TOTAL BALLOT PAPERS COUNTED 449 2052 496 526 3523 103 3626 % 12.7 58.2 14.1 14.9 97.2 2.8
DISTRIBUTION OF PREFERENCES
DICK GILES MELKY CLARK Distribution of Preferences Total Formal Votes (ALP) (CLP) (IND) (GRNS)
1st Preference Votes 449 2052 496 526 3523 Dick excluded (449) -449 116 123 210 0 Progressive total 0 2168 619 736 3523 Melky excluded (619) 307 -619 312 0 TOTAL VOTES 2475 0 1048 3523 % 0.0 70.3 0.0 29.7 97.2
Two Candidate Preferred
RESULT Giles CLP 70.3% Adam Giles - Country Liberal Party Clark elected, by an absolute majority on primary votes, as the GRNS member for the Division of Braitling 29.7%
PREVIOUS MEMBERS AFFILIATION PERIOD A G Giles CLP 2008 - Present L M Braham IND 2001 - 2008 L M Braham CLP 1994 - 2001 R W S Vale CLP 1983 - 1994
95 DIVISION OF BRENNAN
Geographic Classification: Urban Area: 8 sq km
Polling Locations 2008
Static Polling Place Mobile Polling Team 8 Bakewell Primary School Palmerston Renal Unit Palmerston Community Care Centre Farrar Terrace Gardens Aged Care
Elector Age Profile Electors by Gender at Roll Close
Brennan Northern Territory Gender No. % 35% Female 2 547 51.3 30%
25% Male 2 419 48.7 20% Total 4 966 15%
10%
5%
0% 18-25 26-35 36-45 46-55 56-65 66+ Age Range
96 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
DIVISION OF BRENNAN
RESULT OF POLL 9 AUGUST 2008 Electors on Roll - 4966 Informal Ballot Papers - 4.3% Voter Turnout - 80.3% Margin - 202 1st Preference Votes for each Candidate Ballot Papers Counted Polling Place/Declaration Type BURKE CHANDLER (ALP) (CLP) Formal Informal Total
Bakewell 1142 1257 2399 97 2496 Farrar 165 198 363 14 377
Mobile 8 5 1 6 0 6
Pre-poll 195 212 407 17 424
Postal (116) Declaration(2) 55 57 112 6 118
Absent 245 284 529 36 565
TOTAL BALLOT PAPERS COUNTED 1807 2009 3816 170 3986 % 47.4 52.6 95.7 4.3
Two Candidate Preferred
RESULT Chandler CLP 52.6% Peter Chandler - Country Liberal Party elected, by an absolute majority on primary votes, as the member for the Division of Brennan Burke ALP 47.4%
PREVIOUS MEMBERS AFFILIATION PERIOD P G Chandler CLP 2008 - Present J P Burke ALP 2005 - 2008 D G Burke CLP 1994 - 2005 M H Ortmann CLP 1990 - 1994
97 DIVISION OF CASUARINA
Geographic Classification: Urban Area: 13 sq km
Polling Locations 2008
Static Polling Place Mobile Polling Team 9 Dripstone Middle School Tiwi Tiwi Gardens Aged Care Nakara Primary School
Elector Age Profile Electors by Gender at Roll Close
Casuarina Northern Territory Gender No. % 25% Female 2 352 50.3 20% Male 2 328 49.7 15% Total 4 680
10%
5%
0% 18-25 26-35 36-45 46-55 56-65 66+ Age Range
98 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
DIVISION OF CASUARINA
RESULT OF POLL 9 AUGUST 2008 Electors on Roll - 4680 Informal Ballot Papers - 5.1% Voter Turnout - 84.1% Margin - 1058 1st Preference Votes for each Candidate Ballot Papers Counted Polling Place/Declaration Type VATSKALIS HASLETT (ALP) (CLP) Formal Informal Total
Nakara 1293 702 1995 93 2088 Tiwi 446 269 715 44 759
Mobile 9 6 3 9 0 9
Pre-poll 216 154 370 21 391
Postal (123) Declaration (4) 80 43 123 4 127
Absent 356 168 524 37 561
TOTAL BALLOT PAPERS COUNTED 2397 1339 3736 199 3935 % 64.2 35.8 94.9 5.1
Two Candidate Preferred
Haslett RESULT CLP 35.8% Kon Vatskalis - Australian Labor Party elected, by an absolute majority on primary votes, as the Vatskalis member for the Division of Casuarina ALP 64.2%
PREVIOUS MEMBERS AFFILIATION PERIOD K Vatskalis ALP 2001 - Present P Adamson CLP 1994 - 2001 N M Dondas CLP 1983 - 1994
99 DIVISION OF DALY
Geographic Classification: Remote Area: 86 818 sq km
Polling Locations 2008
Static Polling Place Daly River Nadirri Wadeye - Yulmugum Batchelor Area School Dundee Nemarluk Wadeye (Port Keats) Berry Springs Primary School Lake Bennett Palumpa (Nganmarriyanga) Woodykupildiya Mobile Polling Team 10 Nauiyu Nambiyu Peppimenarti Wudapuli Acacia Hills Sand Palms Tipperary Station Acacia Larrakia Wagait Beach Wadeye - Creek Camp Adelaide River Woolaning Wadeye - Melpi Bark Hut Inn Wooliana Wadeye - Ngumik North Belyuen Mobile Polling Team 11 Wadeye - Ngumik South Bul Gul Douglas Daly Research Farm Wadeye - Pambuk Corroboree Park Tavern Emu Point Wadeye - Pungin
Elector Age Profile Electors by Gender at Roll Close
Daly Northern Territory Gender No. % 25% Female 2 265 48.6 20% Male 2 397 51.4 15% Total 4 662 10%
5%
0% 18-25 26-35 36-45 46-55 56-65 66+ Age Range
100 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
DIVISION OF DALY
RESULT OF POLL 9 AUGUST 2008 Electors on Roll - 4662 Informal Ballot Papers - 4.7% Voter Turnout - 73.9% Margin - 369 1st Preference Votes for each Candidate Ballot Papers Counted Polling Place/Declaration Type POLLOCK CONNOP STEVENS KNIGHT (GRNS) (CLP) (IND) (ALP) Formal Informal Total
Batchelor 40 75 12 100 227 3 230 Berry Springs 78 275 32 287 672 25 697
Mobile 10 45 263 64 322 694 32 726 Mobile 11 32 266 71 519 888 73 961
Pre-poll 15 57 10 57 139 1 140
Postal (171) Declaration (2) Absent (3) 14 105 6 50 175 1 176
Absent 68 171 45 206 490 27 517
TOTAL BALLOT PAPERS COUNTED 292 1212 240 1541 3285 162 3447 % 8.9 36.9 7.3 46.9 95.3 4.7
DISTRIBUTION OF PREFERENCES
POLLOCK CONNOP STEVENS KNIGHT Distribution of Preferences Total Formal Votes (GRNS) (CLP) (IND) (ALP)
1st Preference Votes 292 1212 240 1541 3285 Stevens excluded (240) 55 91 -240 94 0 Progressive total 347 1303 0 1635 3285 Pollock excluded (347) -347 155 192 0 TOTAL VOTES 0 1458 0 1827 3285 % 0.0 44.4 0.0 55.6 95.3
Two Candidate Preferred
RESULT Connop CLP 44.4% Robert Knight - Australian Labor Party elected, following the distribution of preferences, as the member for the Division of Daly Knight ALP 55.6%
PREVIOUS MEMBERS AFFILIATION PERIOD D R Knight ALP 2005 - Present T D Baldwin CLP 2001 - 2005
101 DIVISION OF DRYSDALE
Geographic Classification: Urban Area: 31 sq km
Polling Locations 2008
Static Polling Place Durack Primary School Palmerston Christian School Marlow Lagoon Driver Primary School Gray Primary School
Elector Age Profile Electors by Gender at Roll Close
Drysdale Northern Territory Gender No. % 30% Female 2 370 <50.0 25% Male 2 372 >50.0 20% Total 4 742 15%
10%
5%
0% 18-25 26-35 36-45 46-55 56-65 66+ Age Range
102 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
DIVISION OF DRYSDALE
RESULT OF POLL 9 AUGUST 2008 Electors on Roll - 4742 Informal Ballot Papers - 3.6% Voter Turnout - 79.9% Margin - 742 1st Preference Votes for each Candidate Ballot Papers Counted Polling Place/Declaration Type TUTTY NATT BOHLIN (IND) (ALP) (CLP) Formal Informal Total
Driver 85 210 288 583 20 603 Durack 115 447 730 1292 58 1350 Gray 54 170 214 438 14 452 Marlow Lagoon 26 60 176 262 1 263
Pre-poll 25 130 248 403 16 419
Postal (115) Declaration (2) 11 35 70 116 1 117
Absent 58 210 294 562 25 587
TOTAL BALLOT PAPERS COUNTED 374 1262 2020 3656 135 3791 % 10.2 34.5 55.3 96.4 3.6
DISTRIBUTION OF PREFERENCES
TUTTY NATT BOHLIN Distribution of Preferences Total Formal Votes (IND) (ALP) (CLP)
1st Preference Votes 374 1262 2020 3656 Tutty excluded (374) -374 195 179 0 TOTAL VOTES 0 1457 2199 3656 % 0.0 39.9 60.1 96.4
Two Candidate Preferred
Bohlin RESULT CLP 60.1% Ross Bohlin - Country Liberal Party elected, by an absolute majority on primary votes, as the Natt member for the Division of Drysdale ALP 39.9%
PREVIOUS MEMBERS AFFILIATION PERIOD R O C Bohlin CLP 2008 - Present C W Natt ALP 2005 - 2008 S Dunham CLP 1997 - 2005
103 DIVISION OF FANNIE BAY
Geographic Classification: Urban Area: 12 sq km
Polling Locations 2008
Static Polling Place Parap Primary School Stuart Park Primary School
Elector Age Profile Electors by Gender at Roll Close
Fannie Bay Northern Territory Gender No. % 25% Female 2 407 48.7 20% Male 2 536 51.3 15% Total 4 943
10%
5%
0% 18-25 26-35 36-45 46-55 56-65 66+ Age Range
104 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
DIVISION OF FANNIE BAY
RESULT OF POLL 9 AUGUST 2008 Electors on Roll - 4943 Informal Ballot Papers - 5.2% Voter Turnout - 78.5% Margin - 78 1st Preference Votes for each Candidate Ballot Papers Counted Polling Place/Declaration Type GUNNER LAMBERT (ALP) (CLP) Formal Informal Total
Parap 898 902 1800 107 1907 Stuart Park 486 431 917 48 965
Pre-poll 170 170 340 13 353
Postal (156) Declaration (4) Absent (17) 79 94 173 4 177
Absent 245 203 448 31 479
TOTAL BALLOT PAPERS COUNTED 1878 1800 3678 203 3881 % 51.1 48.9 94.8 5.2
Two Candidate Preferred RESULT Lambert CLP 48.9% Michael Gunner - Australian Labor Party elected, by an absolute majority on primary votes, as the member for the Division of Fannie Bay Gunner ALP 51.1%
PREVIOUS MEMBERS AFFILIATION PERIOD M P F Gunner ALP 2008 - Present C M Martin ALP 1995 - 2008 M B Perron CLP 1983 - 1995
105 DIVISION OF FONG LIM
Geographic Classification: Urban Area: 103 sq km
Polling Locations 2008
Static Polling Place Mobile Team 12 Bayview Body Corporate Building Bagot Community Kormilda College Darwin Correctional Centre Ludmilla Primary School
Elector Age Profile Electors by Gender at Roll Close
Fong Lim Northern Territory Gender No. % 30% Female 2 349 48.1 25% Male 2 536 51.9 20% Total 4 885 15%
10%
5%
0% 18-25 26-35 36-45 46-55 56-65 66+ Age Range
106 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
DIVISION OF FONG LIM
RESULT OF POLL 9 AUGUST 2008 Electors on Roll - 4885 Informal Ballot Papers - 5.2% Voter Turnout - 75.9% Margin - 146 1st Preference Votes for each Candidate Ballot Papers Counted Polling Place/Declaration Type BONSON TOLLNER (ALP) (CLP) Formal Informal Total
Bayview 202 275 477 24 501 Kormilda 97 189 286 24 310 Ludmilla 703 698 1401 74 1475
Mobile 12 66 4 70 4 74
Pre-poll 135 155 290 10 300
Postal (143) Declaration (4) 64 80 144 3 147
Absent 418 430 848 52 900
TOTAL BALLOT PAPERS COUNTED 1685 1831 3516 191 3707 % 47.9 52.1 94.8 5.2
Two Candidate Preferred
Tollner RESULT CLP 52.1% Dave Tollner - Country Liberal Party elected, by an absolute majority on primary votes, as the Bonson member for the Division of Fong Lim ALP 47.9%
PREVIOUS MEMBERS* AFFILIATION PERIOD D Tollner CLP 2008 - Present *New Division 2008 Redistribution
107 DIVISION OF GOYDER
Geographic Classification: Peri-urban Area: 615 sq km
Polling Locations 2008
Static Polling Place Bees Creek Primary School Taminmin High School
Elector Age Profile Electors by Gender at Roll Close
Goyder Northern Territory Gender No. % 30% Female 2 297 48.9 25% Male 2 402 51.1 20% Total 4 699 15%
10%
5%
0% 18-25 26-35 36-45 46-55 56-65 66+ Age Range
108 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
DIVISION OF GOYDER
RESULT OF POLL 9 AUGUST 2008 Electors on Roll - 4699 Informal Ballot Papers - 4.3% Voter Turnout - 83.2% Margin - 627 1st Preference Votes for each Candidate Ballot Papers Counted Polling Place/Declaration Type WARREN PURICK (ALP) (CLP) Formal Informal Total
Bees Creek 378 623 1001 39 1040 Taminmin 853 1118 1971 93 2064
Pre-poll 124 175 299 8 307
Postal 49 69 118 4 122
Absent 152 198 350 25 375
TOTAL BALLOT PAPERS COUNTED 1556 2183 3739 169 3908 % 41.6 58.4 95.7 4.3
Two Candidate Preferred
RESULT Purick CLP 58.4% Kezia Purick - Country Liberal Party elected, by an absolute majority on primary votes, as the Warren member for the Division of Goyder ALP 41.6%
PREVIOUS MEMBERS AFFILIATION PERIOD K D T Purick CLP 2008 - Present E J Warren ALP 2005 - 2008 P J Maley CLP 2001 - 2005 T R McCarthy CLP 1990 - 2001
109 DIVISION OF GREATOREX
Geographic Classification: Urban Area: 76 sq km
Polling Locations 2008
Static Polling Place Team 28 Sadadeen Campus (CDU) Ewyenenper-Atwatye Settlers Function Centre
Elector Age Profile Electors by Gender at Roll Close
Greatorex Northern Territory Gender No. % 30% Female 2 516 52.2 25% Male 2 307 47.8 20%
15% Total 4 823
10%
5%
0% 18-25 26-35 36-45 46-55 56-65 66+ Age Range
110 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
DIVISION OF GREATOREX
RESULT OF POLL 9 AUGUST 2008 Electors on Roll - 4823 Informal Ballot Papers - 2.4% Voter Turnout - 76.6% Margin - 1188 1st Preference Votes for each Candidate Ballot Papers Counted Polling Place/Declaration Type ARONSTEN CONLAN NIXON (GRNS) (CLP) (ALP) Formal Informal Total
Sadadeen 448 1296 446 2190 56 2246 Settlers 44 247 37 328 3 331
Mobile 28 2 2 6 10 3 13
Pre-poll 93 450 133 676 14 690
Postal (80) Declaration (1) Absent (12) 10 56 27 93 0 93
Absent 67 154 86 307 13 320
TOTAL BALLOT PAPERS COUNTED 664 2205 735 3604 89 3693 % 18.4 61.2 20.4 97.6 2.4
DISTRIBUTION OF PREFERENCES
ARONSTEN CONLAN NIXON Distribution of Preferences Total Formal Votes (GRNS) (CLP) (ALP)
1st Preference Votes 664 2205 735 3604 Aronsten excluded (664) -664 191 473 0 TOTAL VOTES 0 2396 1208 3604 % 0.0 66.5 33.5 97.6
Two Candidate Preferred RESULT Conlan CLP Matt Conlon - Country Liberal Party 66.5% elected, by an absolute majority on primary votes, as the member for the Division of Greatorex
Nixon ALP 33.5%
PREVIOUS MEMBERS AFFILIATION PERIOD M E Conlan CLP 2007 - Present R S H Lim CLP 1994 - 2007 D W Collins IND 1990 - 1994
111 DIVISION OF JOHNSTON
Geographic Classification: Urban Area: 4 sq km
Polling Locations 2008
Static Polling Place Mobile Polling Team 13 Millner Primary School Nightcliff Renal Unit Moil Primary School
Elector Age Profile Electors by Gender at Roll Close
Johnston Northern Territory Gender No. % 25% Female 2 512 50.9 20% Male 2 419 59.1 15% Total 4 931
10%
5%
0% 18-25 26-35 36-45 46-55 56-65 66+ Age Range
112 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
DIVISION OF JOHNSTON
RESULT OF POLL 9 AUGUST 2008 Electors on Roll - 4931 Informal Ballot Papers - 5.0% Voter Turnout - 82.5% Margin - 628 1st Preference Votes for each Candidate Ballot Papers Counted Polling Place/Declaration Type BURNS SANGSTER (ALP) (CLP) Formal Informal Total
Millner 696 540 1236 67 1303 Moil 869 660 1529 64 1593
Mobile 13 2 1 3 1 4
Pre-poll 160 121 281 10 291
Postal (165) Declaration (9) 83 80 163 11 174
Absent 436 216 652 52 704
TOTAL BALLOT PAPERS COUNTED 2246 1618 3864 205 4069 % 58.1 41.9 95.0 5.0
Two Candidate Preferred
Sangster RESULT CLP 41.9% Chris Burns - Australian Labor Party elected, by an absolute majority on primary votes, as the member for the Division of Johnston Burns ALP 58.1%
PREVIOUS MEMBERS AFFILIATION PERIOD C B Burns ALP 2001 - Present
113 DIVISION OF KARAMA
Geographic Classification: Urban Area: 8 sq km
Polling Locations 2008
Static Polling Place Manunda Terrace Primary School O’Loughlin Catholic College
Elector Age Profile Electors by Gender at Roll Close
Karama Northern Territory Gender No. % 25% Female 2 595 52.6 20% Male 2 340 47.4 15% Total 4 935 10%
5%
0% 18-25 26-35 36-45 46-55 56-65 66+ Age Range
114 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
DIVISION OF KARAMA
RESULT OF POLL 9 AUGUST 2008 Electors on Roll - 4935 Informal Ballot Papers - 4.0% Voter Turnout - 84.0% Margin - 860 1st Preference Votes for each Candidate Ballot Papers Counted Polling Place/Declaration Type LAWRIE FOX HUNTER BACUS (ALP) (IND) (IND) (CLP) Formal Informal Total
Karama 1243 77 113 756 2189 89 2278 Manunda Terrace 476 28 31 306 841 35 876
Pre-poll 170 13 11 127 321 11 332
Postal (146) Declaration (4) Absent (1) 61 10 6 72 149 2 151
Absent 284 28 31 137 480 30 510
TOTAL BALLOT PAPERS COUNTED 2234 156 192 1398 3980 167 4147 % 56.1 3.9 4.8 35.1 96.0 4.0
DISTRIBUTION OF PREFERENCES
Distribution of Preferences LAWRIE FOX HUNTER BACUS Total Formal Votes (ALP) (IND) (IND) (CLP) 1st Preferencs Votes 2234 156 192 1398 3980 Fox excluded (156) 52 -156 89 15 0 Progressive total 2286 0 281 1413 3980 Hunter excluded (281) 134 -281 147 0 TOTAL VOTES 2420 0 0 1560 3980 % 60.8 0.0 0.0 39.2 96.0
Two Candidate Preferred
Bacus RESULT CLP 39.2% Delia Lawrie - Australian Labor Party elected, by an absolute majority on primary votes, as the Lawrie member for the Division of Karama ALP 60.8%
PREVIOUS MEMBERS AFFILIATION PERIOD D P Lawrie ALP 2001 - Present M J Palmer CLP 1987 - 2001
115 DIVISION OF KATHERINE
Geographic Classification: Urban Area: 7 428 sq km
Polling Locations 2008
Static Polling Place Mobile Polling Team 12 Katherine Hospital Rockhole Katherine Civic Centre Binjari Katherine Aged & Disability Warlpiri Camp (Katherine) MacFarlane Pre-School Edith Farms Katherine Renal Unit Tindal Community Hall Jodetluk Red Cross Aged Care
Elector Age Profile Electors by Gender at Roll Close
Katherine Northern Territory Gender No. % 30% Female 2 464 50.1 25% Male 2 457 49.9 20%
15% Total 4 921
10%
5%
0% 18-25 26-35 36-45 46-55 56-65 66+ Age Range
116 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
DIVISION OF KATHERINE
RESULT OF POLL 9 AUGUST 2008 Electors on Roll - 4921 Informal Ballot Papers - 3.4% Voter Turnout - 75.8% Margin - 607 1st Preference Votes for each Candidate Ballot Papers Counted
COUTTS HILLEN WESTRA VAN Polling Place/Declaration Type HOLTHE (IND) (ALP) (CLP) Formal Informal Total
Katherine 223 330 566 1119 33 1152 Katherine East 118 297 408 823 28 851 Tindal 32 37 141 210 18 228
Mobile 14 21 52 58 131 8 139
Pre-poll 198 329 525 1052 27 1079
Postal (81) Declaration (15) Absent (1) 10 27 58 95 2 97
Absent 36 59 80 175 10 185
TOTAL BALLOT PAPERS COUNTED 638 1131 1836 3605 126 3731 % 17.7 31.4 50.9 96.6 3.4
DISTRIBUTION OF PREFERENCES WESTRA VAN COUTTS HILLEN Distribution of Preferences HOLTHE Total Formal Votes (IND) (ALP) (CLP) 1st Preference Votes 638 1131 1836 3605 Coutts excluded (638) -638 368 270 0 TOTAL VOTES 0 1499 2106 3605 % 0.0 41.6 58.4 96.6
Two Candidate Preferred RESULT Westra Van Holthe CLP Willem Westra Van Holthe - Country Liberal Party 58.4% elected, by an absolute majority on primary votes, as the member for the Division of Katherine Hillen ALP 41.6%
PREVIOUS MEMBERS AFFILIATION PERIOD W R Westra Van Holthe CLP 2008 - Present C F Miller CLP 2003 - 2008 M A Reed CLP 1987- 2003
117 DIVISION OF MACDONNELL
Geographic Classification: Remote Area: 351 294 sq km
Polling Locations 2008 (Absent voting only)
Static Polling Place Mobile Polling Team 40 Kulgera Nil (Absent voting only) Alice Springs Correction Centre Yulara Hermannsburg (Ntaria) Kings Canyon Resort
Elector Age Profile Electors by Gender at Roll Close
Macdonnell Northern Territory Gender No. % 30% Female 2 571 52.8 25% Male 2 294 47.2 20%
15% Total 4 865
10%
5%
0% 18-25 26-35 36-45 46-55 56-65 66+ Age Range
118 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
DIVISION OF MACDONNELL
RESULT
Alison Anderson - Australian Labor Party elected unopposed, at the declaration of nominations on 28 July 2008, as the member for the Division of Macdonnell
PREVIOUS MEMBERS AFFILIATION PERIOD A Anderson ALP 2005 - Present J W Elferink CLP 1997 - 2005 N R Bell ALP 1983 - 1997
119 DIVISION OF NELSON
Geographic Classification: Peri-urban Area: 2 289 sq km
Polling Locations 2008
Static Polling Place Howard Springs Community Hall Kormilda College Taminmin High School
Elector Age Profile Electors by Gender at Roll Close
Nelson Northern Territory Gender No. % 30% Female 1 797 38.8 25% Male 2 838 61.2 20%
15% Total 4 635
10%
5%
0% 18-25 26-35 36-45 46-55 56-65 66+ Age Range
120 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
DIVISION OF NELSON
RESULT OF POLL 9 AUGUST 2008 Electors on Roll - 4635 Informal Ballot Papers - 2.4% Voter Turnout - 74.6% Margin - 1934 1st Preference Votes for each Candidate Ballot Papers Counted WOOD KOHLMAN LUDERS-SEARLE (IND) (CLP) (ALP) Polling Place/Declaration Type Formal Informal Total
Howard Springs 1447 229 97 1773 37 1810 Kormilda 123 69 29 221 9 230 Taminmin 312 40 34 386 10 396
Pre-poll 236 71 48 355 1 356
Postal (93) Declaration (2) 69 21 5 95 0 95
Absent 249 216 79 544 25 569
TOTAL BALLOT PAPERS COUNTED 2436 646 292 3374 82 3456 % 72.2 19.1 8.7 97.6 2.4
DISTRIBUTION OF PREFERENCES
Distribution of Preferences WOOD KOHLMAN LUDERS-SEARLE Total Formal Votes (IND) (CLP) (ALP) 1st Preference Votes 2436 646 292 3374 Luders-Searle excluded (292) 218 74 -292 0 TOTAL VOTES 2654 720 0 3374 % 78.7 21.3 0.0 97.6
Two Candidate Preferred
Kohlman CLP RESULT 21.3% Gerry Wood - Independent elected, by an absolute majority on primary votes, as the Wood member for the Division of Nelson IND 78.7%
PREVIOUS MEMBERS AFFILIATION PERIOD G V Wood IND 2001 - Present C D Lugg CLP 1997 - 2001 C N Padgham-Purich IND 1983 - 1997
121 DIVISION OF NHULUNBUY
Geographic Classification: Remote Area: 83 358 sq km
Polling Locations 2008
Static Polling Place Dhalinbuy Gurrumuru Wandawuy Nhulunbuy Primary School Dhuruputjpi Gutangan (Bremer Island) Yangumbi Galiwinku Langara Yilpara Mobile Polling Team 20 Galupa Mapuru Yirrkala Banthula Gan Gan Mata Mata Barrkira Garrthalala Nhulunbuy Hospital Birany Birany Gulkula (Garma Festival) Rorruwuy Buymarr Gunyangara Rurrungala
Elector Age Profile Electors by Gender at Roll Close
Nhulunbuy Northern Territory Gender No. % 30% Female 2 266 50.0 25% Male 2 266 50.0 20% Total 4 532 15%
10%
5%
0% 18-25 26-35 36-45 46-55 56-65 66+ Age Range
122 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
DIVISION OF NHULUNBUY
RESULT OF POLL 9 AUGUST 2008 Electors on Roll - 4532 Informal Ballot Papers - 3.8% Voter Turnout - 59.9% Margin - 1262 1st Preference Votes for each Candidate Ballot Papers Counted Polling Place/Declaration Type WALKER MARIKA (ALP) (CLP) Formal Informal Total
Nhulunbuy 959 288 1247 55 1302
Mobile 20 725 313 1038 29 1067
Pre-poll 190 45 235 9 244
Postal (22) Declaration (12) 21 10 31 3 34
Absent 1 41 18 59 7 66
TOTAL BALLOT PAPERS COUNTED 1936 674 2610 103 2713 % 74.2 25.8 96.2 3.8
Two Candidate Preferred
Marika RESULT CLP 25.8% Lynne Walker - Australian Labor Party elected, by an absolute majority on primary votes, as the Walker member for the Division of Nhulunbuy ALP 74.2%
PREVIOUS MEMBERS AFFILIATION PERIOD L M Walker ALP 2008 - Present S J Stirling ALP 1990 - 2008 D M Leo ALP 1983 - 1990
123 DIVISION OF NIGHTCLIFF
Geographic Classification: Urban Area: 14 sq km
Polling Locations 2008
Static Polling Place Mobile Polling Team 21 Nightcliff Middle School Juninga Aged Care Centre
Elector Age Profile Electors by Gender at Roll Close
Nightcliff Northern Territory Gender No. % 25% Female 2 487 50.3 20% Male 2 458 49.7 15% Total 4 945
10%
5%
0% 18-25 26-35 36-45 46-55 56-65 66+ Age Range
124 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
DIVISION OF NIGHTCLIFF
RESULT OF POLL 9 AUGUST 2008 Electors on Roll - 4945 Informal Ballot Papers - 3.1% Voter Turnout - 78.8% Margin - 808 1st Preference Votes for each Candidate Ballot Papers Counted Polling Place/Declaration Type YOUNG AAGAARD MANNING (GRNS) (ALP) (CLP) Formal Informal Total
Nightcliff 659 1208 926 2793 92 2885
Mobile 21 0 0 0 0 0 0
Pre-poll 79 130 113 322 7 329
Postal (156) Declaration (1) 22 75 59 156 1 157
Absent 136 212 159 507 19 526
TOTAL BALLOT PAPERS COUNTED 896 1625 1257 3778 119 3897 % 23.7 43.0 33.3 96.9 3.1
DISTRIBUTION OF PREFERENCES
YOUNG AAGAARD MANNING Distribution of Preferences Total Formal Votes (GRNS) (ALP) (CLP)
1st Preference Votes 896 1625 1257 3778 Young excluded (896) -896 668 228 0 TOTAL VOTES 0 2293 1485 3778 % 0.0 60.7 39.3 96.9
Two Candidate Preferred
Manning RESULT CLP 39.3% Jane Aagaard - Australian Labor Party elected, following the distribution of preferences, as the Aagaard member for the Division of Nightcliff ALP 60.7%
PREVIOUS MEMBERS AFFILIATION PERIOD J L Aagaard ALP 2001 - Present S P Hatton CLP 1983 - 2001
125 DIVISION OF PORT DARWIN
Geographic Classification: Urban Area: 14 sq km
Polling Locations 2008
Static Polling Place Mobile Team 22 Darwin City – Old Telstra Building Darwin Nursing Home Larrakeyah Primary School Tracy Aged Care
Elector Age Profile Electors by Gender at Roll Close
Port Darwin Northern Territory Gender No. % 30% Female 2 177 45.9 25% Male 2 564 54.1 20% Total 4741 15%
10%
5%
0% 18-25 26-35 36-45 46-55 56-65 66+ Age Range
126 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
DIVISION OF PORT DARWIN
RESULT OF POLL 9 AUGUST 2008 Electors on Roll - 4741 Informal Ballot Papers - 3.1% Voter Turnout - 72.4% Margin - 188 1st Preference Votes for each Candidate Ballot Papers Counted Polling Place/Declaration Type ELFERINK ABBOTT SACILOTTO (CLP) (GRNS) (ALP) Formal Informal Total
Darwin City 460 179 355 994 39 1033 Larrakeyah 542 148 407 1097 21 1118
Mobile 22 0 0 2 2 1 3
Pre-poll 179 60 166 405 12 417
Postal (197) Declaration (6) 105 23 73 201 2 203
Absent 271 128 228 627 30 657
TOTAL BALLOT PAPERS COUNTED 1557 538 1231 3326 105 3431 % 46.8 16.2 37.0 96.9 3.1
DISTRIBUTION OF PREFERENCES
ELFERINK ABBOTT SACILOTTO Distribution of Preferences Total Formal Votes (CLP) (GRNS) (ALP)
1st Preference Votes 1557 538 1231 3326 Abbott excluded (538) 200 -538 338 0 TOTAL VOTES 1757 0 1569 3326 % 52.8 0.0 47.2 96.9
Two Candidate Preferred
RESULT Elferink CLP 52.8% John Elferink - Country Liberal Party elected, following the distribution of preferences, as the Sacilotto member for the Division of Port Darwin ALP 47.2%
PREVIOUS MEMBERS AFFILIATION PERIOD J W Elferink CLP 2008 - Present K D Sacilotto ALP 2005 - 2008 S J Carter CLP 2000 - 2005 S L Stone CLP 1990 - 2000 T Harris CLP 1983 - 1990
127 DIVISION OF SANDERSON
Geographic Classification: Urban Area: 6 sq km
Polling Locations 2008
Static Polling Place Anula Primary School Wulagi Primary School
Elector Age Profile Electors by Gender at Roll Close
Sanderson Northern Territory Gender No. % 25% Female 2 431 50.1 20%
15% Male 2 421 49.9
10% Total 4 852
5%
0% 18-25 26-35 36-45 46-55 56-65 66+ Age Range
128 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
DIVISION OF SANDERSON
RESULT OF POLL 9 AUGUST 2008 Electors on Roll - 4852 Informal Ballot Papers - 5.9% Voter Turnout - 86.6% Margin - 508 1st Preference Votes for each Candidate Ballot Papers Counted Polling Place/Declaration Type STYLES KIELY (CLP) (ALP) Formal Informal Total
Anula 919 770 1689 89 1778 Wulagi 757 486 1243 100 1343
Pre-poll 198 145 343 16 359
Postal (139) Declaration (1) 89 48 137 3 140
Absent 268 274 542 39 581
TOTAL BALLOT PAPERS COUNTED 2231 1723 3954 247 4201 % 56.4 43.6 94.1 5.9
Two Candidate Preferred
Styles RESULT CLP 56.4% Peter Styles - Country Liberal Party elected, by an absolute majority on primary votes, as the Kiely member for the Division of Sanderson ALP 43.6%
PREVIOUS MEMBERS AFFILIATION PERIOD P D Styles CLP 2008 - Present L F Kiely ALP 2001 - 2008 D W Manzie CLP 1983 - 2001
129 DIVISION OF STUART
Geographic Classification: Remote Area: 383 859 sq km
Polling Locations 2008
Static Polling Place Yuendumu Mobile Polling Team 25 Mistake Creek Pine Creek Community Hall Mobile Polling Team 24 Amanbidji Myatt Mobile Polling Team 23 Daguragu Barrak Barrak Timber Creek Alyuen Kalkaringi Barunga Victoria River Roadhouse Laramba Kybrook Farm Beswick Mulga Bore Lajamanu Bulla Camp Nturiya Lingara Djarrung Nyirrppi Pigeon Hole Gilwi Pmara Jutunta Top Springs Keep River Rangers Station Ti Tree Victoria River Downs Larrimah Willowra Werenbun Manyallaluk Wilora Yarralin Mataranka Yuelamu Mengen
Elector Age Profile Electors by Gender at Roll Close
Stuart Northern Territory Gender No. % 30%
25% Female 2 291 51.1 20% Male 2 190 48.9 15%
10% Total 4 481
5%
0% 18-25 26-35 36-45 46-55 56-65 66+ Age Range
130 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
DIVISION OF STUART
RESULT OF POLL 9 AUGUST 2008 Electors on Roll - 4481 Informal Ballot Papers - 4.5% Voter Turnout - 52.8% Margin - 681 1st Preference Votes for each Candidate Ballot Papers Counted Polling Place/Declaration Type HAMPTON JAPANANGKA (ALP) (CLP) Formal Informal Total
Pine Creek 50 49 99 5 104
Mobile 23 525 167 692 32 724 Mobile 24 266 210 476 12 488 Mobile 25 277 129 406 21 427
Pre-poll 116 84 200 12 212
Postal (100) Declaration (11) Absent (12) 93 26 119 4 123
Absent 143 124 267 20 287
TOTAL BALLOT PAPERS COUNTED 1470 789 2259 106 2365 % 65.1 34.9 95.5 4.5
Two Candidate Preferred
Japanangka RESULT CLP 34.9% Karl Hampton - Australian Labor Party elected, by an absolute majority on primary votes, as the member for the Division of Stuart Hampton ALP 65.1%
PREVIOUS MEMBERS AFFILIATION PERIOD K R Hampton ALP 2006 - Present P H Toyne ALP 1996 - 2006 B R Ede ALP 1983 - 1996
131 DIVISION OF WANGURI
Geographic Classification: Urban Area: 45 sq km
Polling Locations 2008
Static Polling Place Mobile Polling Team 26 Leanyer Primary School Darwin Private Hospital Wanguri Primary School Royal Darwin Hospital
Elector Age Profile Electors by Gender at Roll Close
Wanguri Northern Territory Gender No. % 25% Female 2 337 51.3 20%
15% Male 2 221 48.7
10% Total 4 558
5%
0% 18-25 26-35 36-45 46-55 56-65 66+ Age Range
132 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report
DIVISION OF WANGURI
RESULT OF POLL 9 AUGUST 2008 Electors on Roll - 4558 Informal Ballot Papers - 3.0% Voter Turnout - 83.9% Margin - 1103 1st Preference Votes for each Candidate Ballot Papers Counted Polling Place/Declaration Type HENDERSON DEAN KYRIACOU (ALP) (IND) (CLP) Formal Informal Total
Leanyer 1058 171 580 1809 53 1862 Wanguri 714 107 314 1135 41 1176
Mobile 26 0 0 0 0 0 0
Pre-poll 204 23 102 329 5 334
Postal 3 Postal (110) Declaration (3) 69 11 36 116 2 118
Absent 209 27 86 322 14 336
TOTAL BALLOT PAPERS COUNTED 2254 339 1118 3711 115 3826 % 60.8 9.1 30.1 97.0 3.0
DISTRIBUTION OF PREFERENCES
Distribution of Preferences HENDERSON DEAN KYRIACOU Total Formal Votes (ALP) (IND) (CLP)
1st Preference Votes 2254 339 1118 3711 Dean excluded (339) 153 -339 186 0 TOTAL VOTES 2407 0 1304 3711 % 64.9 0.0 35.1 97.0
Two Candidate Preferred
Kyriacou CLP RESULT 35.1%
Paul Henderson - Australian Labor Party elected, by an absolute majority on primary votes, as the member for the Division of Wanguri Henderson ALP 64.9%
PREVIOUS MEMBERS AFFILIATION PERIOD P R Henderson ALP 1999 - Present J D Bailey ALP 1989 - 1999 D F Dale CLP 1983 - 1989
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134 2008 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly General Election Report