Members of the Northern Territory Legislative Council, 1965–1968

This is a list of members of the Northern Territory Legislative Council from 30 October 1965 to 26 October 1968.

The 1965 election was the genesis of a party system in the Northern Territory, with the majority of candidates being nominated by political parties, and where NT Labor faced a party team for the first time, with the new North Australia Party nominating five candidates, although the party dissolved shortly after this election.

An administrative change in 1965 saw the president of the council no longer being the Administrator of the Northern Territory, with the council electing its own president, Harry Chan, in December 1965.

Name Party Electorate/Title Years in office Colin Adams Appointed Director of Mines 1955–1970 Alan Atkins Appointed Assistant Administrator 1963–1967 Harold Brennan Independent Elsey 1955, 1956–1958, 1958–1971 Harry Chan Independent Fannie Bay 1962–1969 Tony Chisholm Appointed (N) 1967–1968 Edward Connellan Appointed (N) 1965–1967 Fred Drysdale Labor Nightcliff 1954–1957, 1960–1969 Eric Francis Dwyer Appointed Assistant Administrator 1964–1968 Joe Fisher Appointed (N) 1961–1968, 1969–1974 Harry Giese Appointed Director of Welfare 1954–1973 Tony Greatorex North Australia Party Stuart 1965–1974 Bernie Kilgariff Appointed (N) 1960–1968, 1969–1974 Goff Letts Appointed Lands and Primary Industry Officer 1967–1971, 1971–1974 John Lyons Independent Port Darwin 1963–1968 Eric Marks Labor Barkly 1966–1974 Peter Murray Labor Arnhem 1963–1966 Charles Orr Labor Alice Springs 1965–1971 Henry Plant Appointed 1967–1974 Len Purkiss Independent Barkly 1951–1965 Tony Richardson Appointed 1963–1967 Lionel Rose Independent Alice Springs 1954–1958, 1962–1965 James Williams Appointed Crown Law Officer 1966–1971 Ron Withnall Appointed/Independent Crown Law Officer/Arnhem 1954–1966, 1966–1974 "Appointed (N)" indicates the councillor was a Non-official Member appointed by the Territory Administrator, but generally from a community or business background, not a government official or public servant. The independent member for Barkly, Len Purkiss, died from silicosis on 24 November 1965. Eric Marks (Labor) was elected to replace him in a by-election on 5 February 1966. Labor member Peter Murray resigned as member for Arnhem in 1966. Ron Withnall, formerly an appointed Official Member, was elected to replace him in a by-election on 26 November 1966.

See also 1965 Northern Territory Legislative Council election

References