Shock outcome leaves Gunner safe for now
IT’S the election result no one saw coming.
In all of the possible outcomes in this election, this was the one which seemed most unlikely.
That in the Northern Territory, where voters are furious with the Gunner Government, Labor would hold both its lower house seats against the tide while the party’s vote collapsed nationally seemed impossible a day ago.
It was an evening of mixed fortunes for the Gunner Government.
While the Territory result will give them hope as staying on as a majority government past August 2020, they were expecting to have a friendly Shorten regime in control federally.
Now, they face another three years of antagonism from Scott Morrison and his Coalition Government.
Promises such as $300 million in Commonwealth cash for the ship lift project, plus a share in $1.5 billion for gas pipelines — both of which the Gunner Government were relying on to help it coax the NT out of its economic hole — have vanished in a single evening.
It must seem all a bad dream this morning.
While it’s tricky applying federal results to a Territory election, Labor sources say it shows the only seat they’re sure to lose in 2020 is Katherine. The protest vote which they so feared didn’t eventuate. Maybe voters aren’t as angry at Gunner as they’ve claimed to be.
Or perhaps they weren’t fooled by the CLP’s tactic to blur the lines between federal and Territory politics.
What is certain is this is the worst possible result for the NT. We have another three years of weak representation in Canberra from Opposition backbenchers.
Nigel Scullion’s retirement from the Senate means we have no voice in the cabinet room. Our only Government member is a first time senator.
Gosling’s margin has been reduced from 6.1 per cent to just 2 per cent.
In 2016, he had the dual blessing of an electorate furious with the Giles government and not too fussed on Turnbull’s either. The 4.1 per cent swing against him is better than he and the party could have hoped.
Picking up a win in the Parap booth in Gunner’s electorate was unexpected and should bolster the Chief.
Had the result been a shellacking against Labor in the Territory, it would have mobilised forces against him, determined to end his leadership. He looks safe for now and is assured of leading Labor into next year’s election.