A general election was held in the Northern Territory on Saturday August 30, 1997, and was won by the incumbent Country Liberal Party (CLP).
Shane Stone continued as Chief Minister.
During the previous term, the CLP had lost the seat of Fannie Bay to Labor in a by-election. The CLP did not win the seat back, but managed to take MacDonnell from Labor and Nelson after Independent Noel Padgham-Purich retired.
Retiring MPs
Labor Neil Bell MLA (MacDonnell)
Country Liberal Fred Finch MLA (Leanyer) Rick Setter MLA (Jingili)
Independent Noel Padgham-Purich MLA (Nelson)
Results
↓ 18 7 CLP Labor
Candidates
Sitting members are listed in bold. Successful candidates are highlighted in the relevant colour.
Electorate Held by Labor CLP Other Arafura Labor Maurice Rioli Jacob Nayinggul Araluen CLP Lilliah McCulloch Eric Poole Arnhem Labor Jack Ah Kit Alan Wright Lance Lawrence (Ind) Thomas Maywundjiwuy (Grn)Barkly Labor Maggie Hickey Mark John Barry Nattrass (Ind)Blain CLP Richard Bawden Barry Coulter Braitling CLP Peter Brooke Loraine Braham Brennan CLP Stephen Bennett Denis Burke Casuarina CLP Douglas McLeod Peter Adamson Drysdale CLP Paul Nieuwenhoven Stephen Dunham Stuart Edwards (Dem)Fannie Bay Labor Clare Martin Michael Kilgariff Goyder CLP Wayne Connop Terry McCarthy Strider (Ind)Greatorex CLP Peter Kavanagh Richard Lim Jingili CLP Catherine Phillips Steve Balch Stephen Barnes (Ind) Ross Forday (Ind)Karama CLP John Tobin Mick Palmer Katherine CLP Michael Peirce Mike Reed Peter Byers (Ind)MacDonnell Labor Mark Wheeler John Elferink Kenneth Lechleitner (Ind)Millner CLP Peter O'Hagan Phil Mitchell Ian Mills (Ind) June Mills (Grn)Nelson Independent Theresa Francis Chris Lugg Dave Tollner (Ind)Nhulunbuy Labor Syd Stirling Richard Davey Nightcliff CLP Paul Henderson Stephen Hatton Theo Katapodis (Ind) Betty McCleary (Ind)Port Darwin CLP Geoffrey Carter Shane Stone Lex Martin (Ind)Sanderson CLP Michael Atkinson Daryl Manzie Stuart Labor Peter Toyne John Bohning Victoria River CLP Paul La Fontaine Tim Baldwin Wanguri Labor John Bailey Peter Styles
Seats changing hands
Seat Pre-1997 Swing Post-1997 Party Member Margin Margin Member Party MacDonnell Labor Neil Bell 15.9 18.7 2.8 John Elferink Country Liberal Nelson Independent Noel Padgham-Purich 3.1 3.7 0.6 Chris Lugg Country Liberal
Post-election pendulum The following pendulum is known as the Mackerras pendulum, invented by psephologist Malcolm Mackerras. The pendulum works by lining up all of the seats held in the Legislative Assembly according to the percentage point margin they are held by on a two-party-preferred basis. This is also known as the swing required for the seat to change hands. Given a uniform swing to the opposition or government parties, the number of seats that change hands can be predicted.
Country Liberal seatsMarginalNelsonChris LuggCLP0.6 v INDKaramaMick PalmerCLP1.7MacdonnellJohn ElferinkCLP2.8NightcliffStephen HattonCLP4.6Fairly safeJingiliSteve BalchCLP6.7CasuarinaPeter AdamsonCLP7.9MillnerPhil MitchellCLP8.7SandersonDaryl ManzieCLP9.3SafeGreatorexRichard LimCLP10.5GoyderTerry McCarthyCLP11.7DrysdaleStephen DunhamCLP13.3Victoria RiverTim BaldwinCLP16.1BraitlingLoraine BrahamCLP16.4Port DarwinShane StoneCLP17.0AraluenEric PooleCLP19.2Very safeBlainBarry CoulterCLP23.8BrennanDenis BurkeCLP24.3KatherineMike ReedCLP24.5
Labor seatsMarginalStuartPeter ToyneALP1.5WanguriJohn BaileyALP2.0Fannie BayClare MartinALP3.0Fairly safeArafuraMaurice RioliALP9.0ArnhemJack Ah KitALP7.8BarklyMaggie HickeyALP8.0SafeVery safeNhulunbuySyd StirlingALP22.1
References
Psephos - Adam Carr's Election Archive