Eyes on the Greatorex by-election
It probably isn’t of interest to many people down this way, but there’s an interesting by-election going on in the Northern Territory which I think is worth keeping an eye on.
Dr Richard Lim, one of the four Country Liberal Party members to survive the Labor landslide of 2005, resigned from his Assembly seat of Greatorex on Monday. Greatorex is one of the safest CLP seats in the territory, made up of the whitest suburbs in Alice Springs. Despite the fact that the electorate leans towards the redneck, Lim, a former deputy leader of the CLP, was one of the saner voices in the party, alongside leader Jodeen Carney.
What makes this by-election of special concern for me - especially in the current racial climate in those parts - is the preselected CLP candidate. They’ve chosen Matt Conlan, local white radio shock jock, and from all reports not the most conciliatory of characters. This isn’t the sort of guy the CLP needs full stop, but it’s especially not the sort of scumbag that needs to be in parliament representing an Alice Springs seat at the moment. While Labor nearly won the seat in 2005 with the high-profile Alice Springs mayor, Fran Kilgariff, as their candidate, she is not running again, and they’ve chosen seemingly low-profile audiologist Jo Nixon as their candidate. This does not bode well for preventing Conlan from getting into parliament.
However, there is a potential independent challenger - Paul Herrick, the Northern Territory’s deputy fire officer, and from all reports a pretty decent candidate. He’s running at the behest and with the endorsement of, veteran independent MLA Loraine Braham. It’s pretty obvious (to me, at least) that Nixon simply cannot win this by-election, but Herrick could be in with at least a chance. Considering the selection of Nixon over other potential candidates, I’m starting to wonder if Labor aren’t going to run dead in the hope that they come third and get Herrick over the line.
On a slightly more amusing note, however, I stopped by the blog of Jane Clark, an Alice Springs alderman and potential independent Greens candidate earlier, only to discover that her last couple of posts pretty much regurgitate my random southerner armchair thoughts on the topic at The Poll Bludger.
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Posted: by Rebecca July 12th, 2007 under Politics, Elections, Northern Territory.
Comments: 9
Comments
Comment from Irene Bozich
Time: July 13, 2007, 1:24 am
I wish Matt Conlan all the best - he is a true
leader - Alice Springs should feel honoured
to have such class living in the middle of the
Desert!!!!
Pingback from Club Troppo » Missing Link, (Black) Friday 13 July
Time: July 13, 2007, 11:06 pm
[…] the Dead Roo, Jennifer wonders who can beat the CLP’s radio shock candidate in a bi-election for the intriguingly named seat of Greatorex in the NT […]
Comment from Jane Clark
Time: July 15, 2007, 10:43 pm
I will be standing as the Greens candidate - thought you’d like to know 
Comment from alice for all
Time: July 19, 2007, 2:44 pm
Strange how this fan has the same last name as his girlfriend. At least his future mother-in-law loves him!
Comment from Merran Hughes
Time: July 19, 2007, 9:03 pm
I wish Jo Nixon well in this campaign. Her extensive work in the Alice community over the past decade years prove her ethics, her understanding of the systems and her amazing energy.
Comment from Coldcomfort
Time: July 23, 2007, 1:44 am
I have been a Labor voter all my life. But, this time I will be voting for the CLP. If you lived in Clare Martins Northern Territory, you would be doing the same. I have never witnessed a more arrogant and incompetant government take a state or territory and drive it into the ground. It wont happen at the next election, but I am keen to see the back of Clare and her buddies once and for all.
Comment from Kieran
Time: July 23, 2007, 11:43 am
It’s this sort of conundrum that results in someone like myself saying “bugger the two party system” and voting for a honest alternative, irrespective of their chances of getting in.
Comment from Jane Clark
Time: July 25, 2007, 6:46 am
With the election due to happen on Saturday 28 it looks like anyone’s race. Originally the front runner, Conlan has stood silently next to his party leader Jodeen Carney looking like a little boy lost. Nixon appears to be silenced by her party, the ruling part in the Northern Territory so far only coming up with a youth boot camp idea. Herrick has managed to slip under the radar getting second preference on every how to vote card. He could quite easily win on preferences. Greens (me) have run their campaign by presenting views on many issues in particular the proposed uranium mines just 23km from the Alice Springs CBD. It’s anyone’s race.
Comment from Kieran
Time: July 25, 2007, 2:13 pm
Youth boot camp? *shudders*
Our thoughts will be with you on Saturday.
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