A CHANCE TO REBUILD THE COUNTRY LIBERALS

THE past six months have been unfortunate for the Country Liberal Party, and for Territorians. For the CLP, it has been a non-stop series of setbacks for a party that should really be focused on rebuilding and getting its ducks in a row for 2024.

Meanwhile, Territorians dealing with crime, rising costs of living and Covid-19 feel like they have no alternative to the Labor incumbents.

This is a shame, since Labor deserves to be held to account for its poor decisions.

At the centre of this rollercoaster has been a desperate CLP president, Jamie de Brenni. While he has never caused any drama himself, Mr de Brenni has often been the one with the mop and bucket, cleaning up the mess in the aftermath.

No one envies him for having to deal with messy preselection battles and damaging leaks about the party’s internal state. But at the same time, these are to be expected when running a political party.

We wish Mr de Brenni well and know he will continue to be a force in the CLP.

But his departure comes at a time when there is still plenty left to do.

After being booted from office in 2016, there is a general feeling the CLP should be further along in its recovery. It should be threatening Labor’s agenda. It should be competing to take Solomon off Labor in the May poll. And the party should be making Labor’s Territory MLAs in marginal electorates nervous.

Instead, the Country Liberals, for the past six months, have been unable to land a blow against Michael Gunner.

The Jacinta Price and Tina MacFarlane campaigns for the federal election feel invisible, despite their opponents, Luke Gosling and Marion Scrymgour, appearing prominently in front of major Labor spending promises.

How Fiona Darcy’s ascendancy to party president will be received by the rank-and-file is yet to be determined, but many will be hoping it is a chance to rejuvenate and reinvigorate the party’s campaign.

Ms Darcy will have to hit the ground running, because she only has until May before Territorians vote for their federal representatives. Whether she can make a real difference on the party’s fortunes will be the first major test of her leadership.

At the centre of her mission will be trying to reconnect with the party’s base while also luring back swing voters.