View source for 1997 Northern Territory general election

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox election
| election_name = 1997 Northern Territory general election
| country = Northern Territory
| type = parliamentary
| ongoing = no
| previous_election = 1994 Northern Territory general election
| previous_year = 1994
| next_election = 2001 Northern Territory general election
| next_year = 2001
| seats_for_election = All 25 seats of the [[Northern Territory Legislative Assembly]]
| majority_seats     = 13
| election_date      = {{Start date|df=yes|1997|08|30}}
| turnout            = 79.0 ({{decrease}} 1.7 [[Percentage points|pp]])

<!--      Country Liberal Party     -->
| image1 = {{CSS image crop |Image = Shane Stone (cropped).jpg|bSize = 130|cWidth = 130|cHeight = 170|oTop = 5|oLeft = 0|Location = center}}
| leader1 = [[Shane Stone]]
| leader_since1 = 26 May 1995
| party1 = Country Liberal Party
| leaders_seat1 = [[Electoral division of Port Darwin|Port Darwin]]
| popular_vote1 = '''41,722'''
| percentage1 = '''54.5%'''
| swing1 = {{increase}} 2.6
| last_election1 = 17 seats
| seats_before1 = 16
| seats1 = '''18'''
| seat_change1 = {{increase}} 2

<!--      Labor      -->
| image2 = [[File:Labor Placeholder.png|170x170px]]
| leader2 = [[Maggie Hickey]]
| leader_since2 = 16 April 1996
| party2 = Australian Labor Party (Northern Territory Branch)
| leaders_seat2 = [[Electoral division of Barkly|Barkly]]
| popular_vote2 = 29,365
| percentage2 = 38.5%
| swing2 = {{decrease}} 2.9
| last_election2 = 7 seats
| seats_before2 = 8
| seats2 = 7
| seat_change2 = {{decrease}} 1

| 1blank = [[Two-party-preferred vote|TPP]]
| 1data1 = '''57.9%'''
| 1data2 = 42.1%
| 2blank = [[Two-party-preferred vote|TPP]]
| 2data1 = {{increase}} 1.6
| 2data2 = {{decrease}} 1.6

| map_image = 1997 Northern Territory Election.svg
| map_size = 300px

| title = [[Chief Minister of the Northern Territory|Chief Minister]]
| before_election = [[Shane Stone]]
| before_party = Country Liberal Party
| after_election = [[Shane Stone]]
| after_party = Country Liberal Party
}}
A general election was held in the [[Northern Territory]] on Saturday August 30, 1997, and was won by the incumbent [[Country Liberal Party]] (CLP).

[[Shane Stone]] continued as Chief Minister.

During the previous term, the CLP had lost the seat of Fannie Bay to Labor in a by-election. The CLP did not win the seat back, but managed to take MacDonnell from Labor and Nelson after Independent [[Noel Padgham-Purich]] retired.

==Retiring MPs==

===Labor===
*[[Neil Bell (Australian politician)|Neil Bell]] MLA ([[Electoral division of MacDonnell|MacDonnell]])

===Country Liberal===
*[[Fred Finch]] MLA ([[Electoral division of Leanyer|Leanyer]])
*[[Rick Setter]] MLA ([[Electoral division of Jingili|Jingili]])

===Independent===
*[[Noel Padgham-Purich]] MLA ([[Electoral division of Nelson (Northern Territory)|Nelson]])

== Results ==
{{see also|Results of the Northern Territory general election, 1997}}

{| style="width:60%; text-align:center;"
|+ style="width:50.0%; text-align:right" | ↓{{fsp}}
|- style="color:white;"
| style="background:{{party color|Country Liberal Party}}; width:72%;" | '''18'''
| style="background:{{party color|Australian Labor Party}}; width:28%;" | '''7'''
|-
| <span style="color:{{party color|Country Liberal Party}};">'''CLP'''</span>
| <span style="color:{{party color|Australian Labor Party}};">'''Labor'''</span>
|}
{{Election results|image=[[File:1997 NT Legislative Assembly.svg]]|party1=[[Country Liberal Party|Country Liberal]]|party2=[[Territory Labor Party|Labor]]|party3=[[Independent politician|Independents]]|party4=[[Australian Democrats|Democrats]]|party5=[[Northern Territory Greens|Greens]]|colour3=#dcdcdc|votes1=41722|votes2=29365|votes3=4327|votes4=484|votes5=420|seats1=18|seats2=7|seats3=0|seats4=0|seats5=0|sc1=+1|sc2=±0|sc3=-1|sc4=±0|sc5=±0|sw1={{increase}} 2.76|sw2={{decrease}} 2.90|sw3={{decrease}} 0.21|sw4={{increase}} 0.55|sw5={{decrease}} 0.20|invalid=4161|invalidsw=+1.2|turnoutsw=-1.7|electorate=101886|embedded={{Election results
|embed=y
|heading1=[[Two-party-preferred vote]]
|party3=[[Territory Labor Party|Labor]]
|ipct3=42.1
|party2=[[Country Liberal Party|Country Liberal]]
|ipct2=57.9
}}}}{{bar box
|title=Popular vote|titlebar=#ddd|width=600px|barwidth=410px|bars={{bar percent|Country Liberal|{{party color|Country Liberal Party}}|54.67}}
{{bar percent|Labor|{{party color|Australian Labor Party}}|38.48}}
{{bar percent|Democrats|#F4940D|0.63}}
{{bar percent|Greens|{{party color|Australian Greens}}|0.55}}
{{bar percent|Independents|{{party color|Independent (politician)}}|5.67}}}}

{{bar box
| title=Two-party-preferred vote
| titlebar=#ddd
| width=600px
| barwidth=410px
| bars=
{{bar percent|'''Country Liberal'''|{{party color|Country Liberal Party}}|57.90}}
{{bar percent|Labor|{{party color|Australian Labor Party}}|42.10}}
}}
{{bar box
|title=Seats|titlebar=#ddd|width=600px|barwidth=410px|bars={{bar percent|'''Country Liberal'''|{{party color|Country Liberal Party}}|72.00}}
{{bar percent|Labor|{{party color|Australian Labor Party}}|28.00}}
}}

==Candidates==

Sitting members are listed in bold. Successful candidates are highlighted in the relevant colour.

{| class="wikitable"
! Electorate
! Held by
! [[Australian Labor Party (Northern Territory Branch)|Labor]] candidate
! [[Country Liberal Party|CLP]] candidate
! Other candidates
|-
| || || {{Australian party style|Labor}}| ||{{Australian party style|CLP}}| || style="background:#999;"|&nbsp;
|-
|[[Electoral division of Arafura|Arafura]] || [[Australian Labor Party (Northern Territory Branch)|Labor]] || {{Australian party shading/Labor}}|'''[[Maurice Rioli]]''' || Jacob Nayinggul || 
|-
|[[Electoral division of Araluen|Araluen]] || [[Country Liberal Party|CLP]] || Lilliah McCulloch || {{Australian party shading/CLP}}|'''[[Eric Poole (Australian politician)|Eric Poole]]''' || 
|-
|[[Electoral division of Arnhem|Arnhem]] || [[Australian Labor Party (Northern Territory Branch)|Labor]] || {{Australian party shading/Labor}}|'''[[Jack Ah Kit]]''' || Alan Wright || Lance Lawrence ([[Independent (politician)|Ind]]) <br /> Thomas Maywundjiwuy ([[Northern Territory Greens|Grn]])
|-
|[[Electoral division of Barkly|Barkly]] || [[Australian Labor Party (Northern Territory Branch)|Labor]] || {{Australian party shading/Labor}}|'''[[Maggie Hickey]]''' || Mark John || Barry Nattrass ([[Independent (politician)|Ind]])
|-
|[[Electoral division of Blain|Blain]] || [[Country Liberal Party|CLP]] || Richard Bawden || {{Australian party shading/CLP}}|'''[[Barry Coulter]]''' || 
|-
|[[Electoral division of Braitling|Braitling]] || [[Country Liberal Party|CLP]] || Peter Brooke || {{Australian party shading/CLP}}|'''[[Loraine Braham]]''' || 
|-
|[[Electoral division of Brennan|Brennan]] || [[Country Liberal Party|CLP]] || Stephen Bennett || {{Australian party shading/CLP}}|'''[[Denis Burke (Australian politician)|Denis Burke]]''' ||
|-
|[[Electoral division of Casuarina|Casuarina]] || [[Country Liberal Party|CLP]] || Douglas McLeod || {{Australian party shading/CLP}}|'''[[Peter Adamson (Australian politician)|Peter Adamson]]''' || 
|-
|[[Electoral division of Drysdale|Drysdale]] || [[Country Liberal Party|CLP]] || Paul Nieuwenhoven || {{Australian party shading/CLP}}|[[Stephen Dunham (politician)|Stephen Dunham]] || Stuart Edwards ([[Australian Democrats|Dem]])
|-
|[[Electoral division of Fannie Bay|Fannie Bay]] || [[Australian Labor Party (Northern Territory Branch)|Labor]] || {{Australian party shading/Labor}}|'''[[Clare Martin]]''' || Michael Kilgariff || 
|-
|[[Electoral division of Goyder|Goyder]] || [[Country Liberal Party|CLP]] || Wayne Connop || {{Australian party shading/CLP}}|'''[[Terry McCarthy (politician)|Terry McCarthy]]''' || Strider ([[Independent (politician)|Ind]])
|-
|[[Electoral division of Greatorex|Greatorex]] || [[Country Liberal Party|CLP]] || Peter Kavanagh || {{Australian party shading/CLP}}|'''[[Richard Lim]]''' || 
|-
|[[Electoral division of Jingili|Jingili]] || [[Country Liberal Party|CLP]] || Catherine Phillips || {{Australian party shading/CLP}}|[[Steve Balch]] || Stephen Barnes ([[Independent (politician)|Ind]]) <br /> Ross Forday ([[Independent (politician)|Ind]])
|-
|[[Electoral division of Karama|Karama]] || [[Country Liberal Party|CLP]] || John Tobin || {{Australian party shading/CLP}}|'''[[Mick Palmer (Australian politician)|Mick Palmer]]''' || 
|-
|[[Electoral division of Katherine|Katherine]] || [[Country Liberal Party|CLP]] || Michael Peirce || {{Australian party shading/CLP}}|'''[[Mike Reed (politician)|Mike Reed]]''' || Peter Byers ([[Independent (politician)|Ind]])
|-
|[[Electoral division of MacDonnell|MacDonnell]] || [[Australian Labor Party (Northern Territory Branch)|Labor]] || Mark Wheeler || {{Australian party shading/CLP}}|[[John Elferink]] || Kenneth Lechleitner ([[Independent (politician)|Ind]])
|-
|[[Electoral division of Millner|Millner]] || [[Country Liberal Party|CLP]] || Peter O'Hagan || {{Australian party shading/CLP}}|'''[[Phil Mitchell (Australian politician)|Phil Mitchell]]''' || Ian Mills ([[Independent (politician)|Ind]]) <br /> June Mills ([[Northern Territory Greens|Grn]])
|-
|[[Electoral division of Nelson (Northern Territory)|Nelson]] || [[Independent (politician)|Independent]] || Theresa Francis || {{Australian party shading/CLP}}|[[Chris Lugg]] || [[Dave Tollner]] ([[Independent (politician)|Ind]])
|-
|[[Electoral division of Nhulunbuy|Nhulunbuy]] || [[Australian Labor Party (Northern Territory Branch)|Labor]] || {{Australian party shading/Labor}}|'''[[Syd Stirling]]''' || Richard Davey || 
|-
|[[Electoral division of Nightcliff|Nightcliff]] || [[Country Liberal Party|CLP]] || [[Paul Henderson (politician)|Paul Henderson]] || {{Australian party shading/CLP}}|'''[[Stephen Hatton]]''' || Theo Katapodis ([[Independent (politician)|Ind]]) <br /> Betty McCleary ([[Independent (politician)|Ind]])
|-
|[[Electoral division of Port Darwin|Port Darwin]] || [[Country Liberal Party|CLP]] || Geoffrey Carter || {{Australian party shading/CLP}}|'''[[Shane Stone]]''' || Lex Martin ([[Independent (politician)|Ind]])
|-
|[[Electoral division of Sanderson|Sanderson]] || [[Country Liberal Party|CLP]] || Michael Atkinson || {{Australian party shading/CLP}}|'''[[Daryl Manzie]]''' || 
|-
|[[Electoral division of Stuart|Stuart]] || [[Australian Labor Party (Northern Territory Branch)|Labor]] || {{Australian party shading/Labor}}|'''[[Peter Toyne]]''' || John Bohning || 
|-
|[[Electoral division of Victoria River|Victoria River]] || [[Country Liberal Party|CLP]] || Paul La Fontaine || {{Australian party shading/CLP}}|'''[[Tim Baldwin]]''' || 
|-
|[[Electoral division of Wanguri|Wanguri]] || [[Australian Labor Party (Northern Territory Branch)|Labor]] || {{Australian party shading/Labor}}|'''[[John Bailey (Australian politician)|John Bailey]]''' || [[Peter Styles (politician)|Peter Styles]] || 
|}

== Seats changing hands ==

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! rowspan=2| Seat
! colspan=4| Pre-1997
! rowspan=2| Swing
! colspan=4| Post-1997
|-
! colspan=2| Party
! Member
! Margin
! Margin
! Member
! colspan=2| Party
|-
| [[Electoral division of MacDonnell|MacDonnell]]
| {{Australian party style|Labor}}|&nbsp;
| Labor
| [[Neil Bell (Australian politician)|Neil Bell]]
| style="text-align:right;"| 15.9
| style="text-align:right;"| 18.7
| style="text-align:right;"| 2.8
| [[John Elferink]]
| Country Liberal
| {{Australian party style|CLP}}|&nbsp;
|-
| [[Electoral division of Nelson (Northern Territory)|Nelson]]
| {{Australian party style|Independent}}|&nbsp;
| Independent
| [[Noel Padgham-Purich]]
| style="text-align:right;"| 3.1
| style="text-align:right;"| 3.7
| style="text-align:right;"| 0.6
| [[Chris Lugg]]
| Country Liberal
| {{Australian party style|CLP}}|&nbsp;
|}

==Post-election pendulum ==
The following pendulum is known as the [[Mackerras pendulum]], invented by [[psephology|psephologist]] [[Malcolm Mackerras]].  The pendulum works by lining up all of the seats held in the [[Northern Territory Legislative Assembly|Legislative Assembly]] according to the [[percentage point]] margin they are held by on a two-party-preferred basis. This is also known as the [[Swing (Australian politics)|swing]] required for the seat to change hands. Given a uniform swing to the opposition or government parties, the number of seats that change hands can be predicted.

{| class="toccolours" align="left" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin-right: .5em; margin-top: .4em; font-size: 90%; float:right"
|-
| colspan="4"  style="text-align:center; background:#ff9933;"|<span style="color:white;">'''Country Liberal seats'''</span>
|-
| colspan="4"  style="text-align:center; background:#ff9933;"|<span style="color:white;">'''Marginal'''</span>
|-
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FFBD9D;"|[[Electoral division of Nelson (Northern Territory)|Nelson]]
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FFBD9D;"|[[Chris Lugg]]
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FFBD9D;"|CLP
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FFBD9D;"|0.6 v IND
|-
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FFBD9D;"|[[Electoral division of Karama|Karama]]
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FFBD9D;"|[[Mick Palmer (Australian politician)|Mick Palmer]]
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FFBD9D;"|CLP
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FFBD9D;"|1.7
|-
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FFBD9D;"|[[Electoral division of Macdonnell|Macdonnell]]
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FFBD9D;"|[[John Elferink]]
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FFBD9D;"|CLP
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FFBD9D;"|2.8
|-
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FFBD9D;"|[[Electoral division of Nightcliff|Nightcliff]]
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FFBD9D;"|[[Stephen Hatton]]
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FFBD9D;"|CLP
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FFBD9D;"|4.6
|-
| colspan="4"  style="text-align:center; background:#ff9933;"|<span style="color:white;">'''Fairly safe'''</span>
|-
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FF8533;"|[[Electoral division of Jingili|Jingili]]
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FF8533;"|[[Steve Balch]]
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FF8533;"|CLP
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FF8533;"|6.7
|-
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FF8533;"|[[Electoral division of Casuarina|Casuarina]]
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FF8533;"|[[Peter Adamson (Australian politician)|Peter Adamson]]
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FF8533;"|CLP
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FF8533;"|7.9
|-
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FF8533;"|[[Electoral division of Millner|Millner]]
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FF8533;"|[[Phil Mitchell (Australian politician)|Phil Mitchell]]
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FF8533;"|CLP
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FF8533;"|8.7
|-
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FF8533;"|[[Electoral division of Sanderson|Sanderson]]
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FF8533;"|[[Daryl Manzie]]
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FF8533;"|CLP
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FF8533;"|9.3
|-
| colspan="4"  style="text-align:center; background:#ff9933;"|<span style="color:white;">'''Safe'''</span>
|-
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FF7519;"|[[Electoral division of Greatorex|Greatorex]]
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FF7519;"|[[Richard Lim]]
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FF7519;"|CLP
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FF7519;"|10.5
|-
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FF7519;"|[[Electoral division of Goyder|Goyder]]
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FF7519;"|[[Terry McCarthy (politician)|Terry McCarthy]]
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FF7519;"|CLP
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FF7519;"|11.7
|-
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FF7519;"|[[Electoral division of Drysdale|Drysdale]]
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FF7519;"|[[Stephen Dunham (politician)|Stephen Dunham]]
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FF7519;"|CLP
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FF7519;"|13.3
|-
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FF7519;"|[[Electoral division of Victoria River|Victoria River]]
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FF7519;"|[[Tim Baldwin]]
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FF7519;"|CLP
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FF7519;"|16.1
|-
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FF7519;"|[[Electoral division of Braitling|Braitling]]
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FF7519;"|[[Loraine Braham]]
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FF7519;"|CLP
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FF7519;"|16.4
|-
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FF7519;"|[[Electoral division of Port Darwin|Port Darwin]]
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FF7519;"|[[Shane Stone]]
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FF7519;"|CLP
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FF7519;"|17.0
|-
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FF7519;"|[[Electoral division of Araluen|Araluen]]
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FF7519;"|[[Eric Poole (Australian politician)|Eric Poole]]
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FF7519;"|CLP
|  style="text-align:left; background:#FF7519;"|19.2
|-
| colspan="4"  style="text-align:center; background:#ff9933;"|<span style="color:white;">'''Very safe'''</span>
|-
|  style="text-align:left; background:#CC5E14;"|[[Electoral division of Blain|Blain]]
|  style="text-align:left; background:#CC5E14;"|[[Barry Coulter]]
|  style="text-align:left; background:#CC5E14;"|CLP
|  style="text-align:left; background:#CC5E14;"|23.8
|-
|  style="text-align:left; background:#CC5E14;"|[[Electoral division of Brennan|Brennan]]
|  style="text-align:left; background:#CC5E14;"|[[Denis Burke (Australian politician)|Denis Burke]]
|  style="text-align:left; background:#CC5E14;"|CLP
|  style="text-align:left; background:#CC5E14;"|24.3
|-
|  style="text-align:left; background:#CC5E14;"|[[Electoral division of Katherine|Katherine]]
|  style="text-align:left; background:#CC5E14;"|[[Mike Reed (politician)|Mike Reed]]
|  style="text-align:left; background:#CC5E14;"|CLP
|  style="text-align:left; background:#CC5E14;"|24.5
|}

{| class="toccolours" align="left" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin-right: .5em; margin-top: .4em; font-size: 90%; float:left"
|-
| colspan="4"  style="text-align:center; background:red;"| <span style="color:white;">'''Labor seats'''</span>
|-
| colspan="4"  style="text-align:center; background:red;"|<span style="color:white;">'''Marginal'''</span>
|-
|  style="text-align:left; background:#ffcaca;"|[[Electoral division of Stuart|Stuart]]
|  style="text-align:left; background:#ffcaca;"|[[Peter Toyne]]
|  style="text-align:left; background:#ffcaca;"|ALP
|  style="text-align:left; background:#ffcaca;"|1.5
|-
|  style="text-align:left; background:#ffcaca;"|[[Electoral division of Wanguri|Wanguri]]
|  style="text-align:left; background:#ffcaca;"|[[John Bailey (Australian politician)|John Bailey]]
|  style="text-align:left; background:#ffcaca;"|ALP
|  style="text-align:left; background:#ffcaca;"|2.0
|-
|  style="text-align:left; background:#ffcaca;"|[[Electoral division of Fannie Bay|Fannie Bay]]
|  style="text-align:left; background:#ffcaca;"|[[Clare Martin]]
|  style="text-align:left; background:#ffcaca;"|ALP
|  style="text-align:left; background:#ffcaca;"|3.0
|-
| colspan="4"  style="text-align:center; background:red;"|<span style="color:white;">'''Fairly safe'''</span>
|-
|  style="text-align:left; background:#ff8d8d;"|[[Electoral division of Arafura|Arafura]]
|  style="text-align:left; background:#ff8d8d;"|[[Maurice Rioli]]
|  style="text-align:left; background:#ff8d8d;"|ALP
|  style="text-align:left; background:#ff8d8d;"|9.0
|-
|  style="text-align:left; background:#ff8d8d;"|[[Electoral division of Arnhem|Arnhem]]
|  style="text-align:left; background:#ff8d8d;"|[[Jack Ah Kit]]
|  style="text-align:left; background:#ff8d8d;"|ALP
|  style="text-align:left; background:#ff8d8d;"|7.8
|-
|  style="text-align:left; background:#ff8d8d;"|[[Electoral division of Barkly|Barkly]]
|  style="text-align:left; background:#ff8d8d;"|[[Maggie Hickey]]
|  style="text-align:left; background:#ff8d8d;"|ALP
|  style="text-align:left; background:#ff8d8d;"|8.0
|-
| colspan="4"  style="text-align:center; background:red;"|<span style="color:white;">'''Safe'''</span>
|-
| colspan="4"  style="text-align:center; background:red;"|<span style="color:white;">'''Very safe'''</span>
|-
|  style="text-align:left; background:#df716d;"|[[Electoral division of Nhulunbuy|Nhulunbuy]]
|  style="text-align:left; background:#df716d;"|[[Syd Stirling]]
|  style="text-align:left; background:#df716d;"|ALP
|  style="text-align:left; background:#df716d;"|22.1
|}
{{Clear}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}
*[http://psephos.adam-carr.net/countries/a/australia/states/nt/nt19971.txt Psephos - Adam Carr's Election Archive]

{{Northern Territory elections}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Northern Territory General Election, 1997}}
[[Category:1997 elections in Australia]]
[[Category:Elections in the Northern Territory]]
[[Category:1990s in the Northern Territory]]
[[Category:August 1997 in Australia]]