Northern Territory Premier Eva Lawler has conceded defeat to Labor in her own seat of Drysdale after a surprise landslide victory for the Country Liberal Party in the Top End.
Holding back tears, Ms Lawler told party members shortly after 9pm on Saturday that after a “tough, tough battle in this campaign… unfortunately, she didn’t make it to the finish line tonight”.
“It has been an absolute privilege to be Chief Minister of the Northern Territory. It has also been an absolute privilege to be the Member for Drysdale,” Ms Lawler said.
‘Tonight is a tough night for Labor, a really tough night for Labor. It wasn’t the result we wanted to see. But I think some of those votes, some of those decisions, were taken a long time ago.
“I know Territorians wanted change. We heard that loud and clear… I truly believe we are leaving the Northern Territory in a much better position than we were before.”
Ms Lawler said she had congratulated Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro and that the Labor Party would not ‘burn down’ the Northern Territory with its opposition, but would be constructive.
Ms Lawler succeeded Natasha Fyles and was looking to extend Labor’s eight-year reign in the top flight. At the 6pm count, there were 25 seats still up for grabs.
But shortly after 8pm, ABC chief election analyst Antony Green announced that the CLP would hold an election, with the result being 13.7 percent in the party’s favour.
Northern Territory Premier Eva Lawler (pictured) has conceded Labor’s defeat
NT Country Liberal Party leader Lia Finocchiaro celebrates her victory on Saturday night
An hour later, the tally stood at 15 seats for the CLP.
Former Prime Minister Natasha Fyles told the ABC shortly after 8.30pm that the result so far had been “extremely disappointing”. The ABC said the CLP had 10 seats and Labor four.
The statement comes after former Northern Chief Minister Natasha Fyles admitted it was a mistake to drop alcohol restrictions in remote Aboriginal communities.
Ms Lawler has criticised her predecessor’s decision to drop alcohol restrictions in mid-2022, legalising booze in dozens of Aboriginal communities for the first time in 15 years.
Asked if the move was a mistake by the ABC on election night, Ms Fyles said: “The short answer is yes.” She then added that “hindsight is always easy” and that alcohol was a “legal product.”
NT Country Liberal Party leader Lia Finocchiaro, 39, is pictured
“We know how much harm it does, but at the same time giving people the choice not to be part of a community that is allowed to drink alcohol, rather than emptying communities and then putting them through a process that allows them to drink alcohol… So it’s incredibly complex,” Ms Fyles told the ABC.
“We know that compulsory alcohol treatment doesn’t work. It’s hugely expensive. But these are policies that the CLP has said it will remove, and that have been welcomed by health professionals around the world here in the region.”
Despite criticism, Ms Fyles defended her successor as the first votes were counted, saying she was “certainly not holding back” and that she had gained respect for her work before the election.
According to the ABC, by around 8pm Ms Fyles was already discussing the possibility of Labor taking “second or third place” as the CLP had taken a significant lead with six seats to Labor’s two.
Both the Labor Party and the Country Liberal Party campaigned on the idea of cracking down on crime, with Alice Springs’ persistently high crime rates, deprivation and curfews at the heart of the issue.
The week before the election, Ms Lawler said Labor would deliver a “commonsense plan to reduce crime” and improve community safety, including a $570 million boost to the Northern Territory Police.
Political rivals Ms Lawler and Ms Finochhaiaro are due to face a final debate on Tuesday
Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro told a live debate on SkyNews earlier this week that the CLP’s plan to tackle crime was instead to tighten bail laws and lower the age of criminal responsibility.
The Northern Territory’s struggling economy, high cost of living and stagnant population growth are also seen as areas of concern for the CLP, which aims to demonstrate the need for change after eight years of Labor.
The elections also opened the door for a number of independents, including self-proclaimed laksa queen Amye Un, who claimed that “Labor should go… Only Amye Un can clean up.”
The NT has been in the news in recent years for its high crime rates, including the introduction of curfews in the NT after two off-duty police officers were reportedly assaulted in July.
The election also comes ahead of a contentious race in Queensland later this year, where Labor will again defend its record, and the looming federal election called next year.