NT: Territorians look set to go to polls

AAP General News (Australia)
08-05-2009
NT: Territorians look set to go to polls

By Tara Ravens

DARWIN, Aug 5 AAP - Territorians look set to head to the polls.

Or in Australia's first constitutional test of four-year fixed terms, they could be
saddled with a leader and a party most people didn't vote for.

Whatever the case, Labor will remain at the mercy of a renegade MP and a former chook
farmer until parliament sits next week.

Alison Anderson and independent Gerry Wood are expected to back an opposition motion
of no confidence in Labor, which could trigger an early election or result in a change
of government.

"I think we should keep that big surprise for next Tuesday," Ms Anderson said on Wednesday.

She quit the government a day earlier after NT Chief Minister Paul Henderson failed
to denounce what she said was a "blatantly racist" article about Labor's indigenous MLAs.

The party was left clinging to power by the thinnest of threads with only 11 of the
25 seats - until independent MP Marion Scrymgour decided to return to the fold a few hours
later.

"I think the ALP is dead. I think he is just holding onto power and that is the very
reason they ran back and got Marion Scrymgour," Ms Anderson said.

"(Paul Henderson's) a dead man walking."

Mr Wood is also keeping mum on his movements although the kingmakers have both indicated
they would support an election if that is what Territorians want.

"It is an expensive option and can be a nuisance but really it is also the foundation
of our democracy," Mr Wood said.

Mr Henderson introduced four-year fixed terms after Labor suffered a massive voter
backlash at last year's poll, blamed largely on a decision to call an early election.

Territorians are not meant to return to the ballot box until 2012 but NT Administrator
Tom Pauling can step in and call an election or appoint Country Liberals Leader Terry
Mills as chief minister.

If this happens, the NT could become a test case for the fixed term legislation also
adopted by NSW, South Australia, and Victoria.

"If the baton change provisions are tested, all constitutional eyes will be on Darwin
in this first test of legislation to fix the terms of parliament," ABC election analyst
Antony Green said in his online blog.

Mr Mills has not been pushing for an early election and hopes to form a minority government
with the help of Ms Anderson and Mr Wood.

Ms Anderson has called for a Royal Commission into the NT government's spending on
indigenous affairs because she believes only 30 per cent of a $672 million remote housing
program will be actually spent on new homes, with the rest of the money creamed off to
feed "fat cat" bureaucrats.

Labor MP for Central Australia Karl Hampton, who spoke out about similar concerns,
on Wednesday issued a statement which said Mr Henderson continued to have his "full support".

Mr Henderson appeared to remain confident.

"We do have a mandate, we won an election just under 12 months ago... and we continue
to have the largest number of seats," he told reporters in Darwin.

"I am certainly determined to lead strong, stable government for the people of the
Northern Territory."

AAP tr/mmr/jlw

KEYWORD: ANDERSON WRAP (WITH FACTBOX)

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