History made in the Territory!

By Sib & Maud, NT Greens Party Managers 

Last time we wrote here it looked like we would come close to winning our first seat in NT Parliament. And we are now so very proud to say that the NT Greens have made history together - we now have a Greens MLA in NT Parliament for the first time in history. 

Not only is the seat of Nightcliff our first ever seat in the Territory. But we have also won the safest Labor seat in the NT.

This, like the Greens-swell across the country, has been a people-powered movement. We had 191 first-time volunteers, and 90 returning vollies, saturating our electorates which have just 5500 voters each.

This moment was made possible by people who have become involved in politics for the first time in their lives, by people who were sick of seeing the corporate stranglehold over our parliament and by people who saw a better way forward for us. It happened because hundreds of people across the NT did what they could with what they had.

And our volunteers  were extremely effective. Half of the swing voters we spoke to became either soft or enthusiastic supporters the second time we talked to them.

This election we were the progressive alternative. Labor’s vote collapsed because they tried to out-conservative the CLP in a race to the bottom on environment, justice and integrity. 

It turns out, when you connect with people and take the time to listen to them, most people truly want compassionate, evidence-based solutions to crime - they don’t want 10 year olds in prison. And they want a future in our incredible Territory home - not rampant gas expansion and climate catastrophe.

Larrakia Independent Mililma May also ran an incredible and progressive campaign, and preferences from her voters, as well as the CLP’s, were essential in our success.  

So – we have a lot of work to do. We now have a majority CLP government hellbent on returning us to failed zombie policies of the past that will further divide our community. But our progressive community is massive and growing, and we’re only just getting started.

There are so many people to thank but for now – a huge thank you to our incredible, history making candidates. In particular Suki Dorras-Walker in Fannie Bay and Asta Hill in Braitling who achieved swings of 17% and 30% respectively and helped unlock two future Green seats in the NT. 

And to our new member for Nightcliff, Kat McNamara, we are all so thoroughly proud and so completely behind you for this next chapter. 

It’s a bye for now from us as NT Party Managers. We have had the best job in the world and we’re beyond grateful to the Greens community across the country.