CLP in call to ‘believers’

Party faithful turn out for launch of poll campaign

WITH just a week to go before election day, the Country Liberal Party has launched its campaign.

The party chose Palmerston — where the CLP and Labor have been directing the bulk of doorknocking efforts — to make its pitch.

In a private upstairs room of the brand new Landmark hotel, Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack and retiring Senator Nigel Scullion did their best to gee up the subdued crowd of about 100 party faithful.

Mr Scullion told the room the Territory was a key electoral battleground for the Coalition. “If we can win one House of Representatives seat in the NT, we will win the election,” he said.

There were several mentions of the fact the CLP electoral team was an all-woman affair. Katherine vet Sam McMahon is essentially assured of a Senate spot while Kathy Ganley will contest Solomon and Jacinta Price is on the ticket in Lingiari.

The party’s number two Senate pick Josh Burgoyne was absent from the launch.

Dr McMahon said the party had rebuilt its membership after numbers dropped off after the shellacking received in the 2016 federal and Territory elections.

“We’re not struggling. Certainly there was a decline in membership after the local Territory election,” she said.

“That has been steadily building up.

“We’re seeing more and more people come along to local branch meetings.”

She explained the underwhelming turnout on campaign efforts.

“They’re out there door knocking; they’re out there manning the polling booths,” she said.

Party president Ron Kelly put a call out to the room for more volunteers to man the booths on polling day, while Mr McCormack implored members to get involved.

“We’re all believers, but we need more of them,” he said.