<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> <docID>327554</docID> <postdate>2024-08-24 22:20:30</postdate> <headline>Country Liberals clinch victory in NT election</headline> <body><p><img class="size-full wp-image-327555" src="https://citynews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/20240824135827886140-original-resized.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" /></p> <caption>Country Liberal Party leader Lia Finocchiaro will be the NT's chief minister. (A)manda Parkinson/AAP PHOTOS)</caption> <p><span class="kicker-line">By <strong>(A)manda Parkinson</strong> and <strong>Andrea Hayward</strong> in Darwin</span></p> <p><strong>The Country Liberal Party will form government in the Northern Territory in a convincing defeat of Labor that has toppled the chief minister in her own seat.</strong></p> <p>With nearly 20 per cent of the vote counted, the CLP had notched a 13.2 per cent swing on a two-party preferred basis.</p> <p>It came on the back of a strong primary vote of 49.5 per cent compared to the ALP's 25.9 per cent.</p> <p>The CLP was on track to win 14 seats of the 25-seat parliament, with Labor set to take five seats as the others remain undecided.</p> <p>Chief Minister Eva Lawler was trailing CLP candidate Clinton Howe 1235 votes to 630 in what pointed to a devastating loss in her own seat of Drysdale, with a swing of 22.6 per cent on a two-party preferred basis.</p> <p>"Unfortunately, we have not got over the line tonight. It looks like I have lost my seat and I know some of our great candidates and great members have also lost their seats," Ms Lawler said in conceding defeat on Saturday.</p> <p>"So, an absolutely sad night for Labor, but to all of you who are here, the people who have campaigned so hard for us, so hard for so long, I thank you from the bottom of my heart."</p> <p>Former chief minister and Labor MP Natasha Fyles said the result was disappointing but paid tribute to Ms Lawler.</p> <p>"Palmerston is tough. She was the first person to be re-elected as a Labor member with the redistribution but the other factors with the swing against the Labor Party has played into that," Ms Fyles told ABC Television.</p> <p>"But it should not take away from the hard work she has done."</p> <p>In the seat of Fannie Bay things were looking promising for Greens candidate Suki Dorras-Walker, who was leading the CLP in early voting.</p> <p>A win there would be the first ever for the Greens in the territory.</p> <p>"I just cannot believe what we've achieved on the ground," Ms Dorras-Walker said.</p> <p>"We've spoken to so many people in Fannie Bay. We've got so many people behind us ... I'm so incredibly proud of this movement."</p> <p>In the seat of Mulka, independent candidate Yingiya Mark Guyula was poised to defeat the CLP, promising to represent his country constituents.</p> <p>"It does not matter to me whether it is an ALP or a CLP politician, as long as they listen to the voice from the people," Mr Guyula told ABC Television.</p> <p>"And I am the voice for the people out here on the ground."</p> <p>Key issues to emerge during the election campaign include the environment, crime and cost of living.</p> <p>AAP spoke to a number of voters concerned about rising rates of property theft.</p> <p>NT Electoral Commissioner Kirsten Kelly said 61,000 people had voted early across the territory.</p> <p>"So that's about 1000 votes more than in 2020 so early voting is quite popular voting for us," Ms Kelly said.</p> <p>The participation rate had dipped from 75 per cent in 2020 to 65 per cent this election, Ms Kelly said.</p> </body>