The Northern Territory's chief minister Michael Gunner is on track to secure a second four-year term with his Labor Party predicted to form a minority government.
The ABC's election analyst Antony Green said Labor is likely to secure 12 seats, one shy of the 13 required to form a majority government.
Northern Territory Chief Minister Michael Gunner’s control of the coronavirus pandemic has been well received.Credit:Dominic Lorrimer
The coronavirus pandemic played a big part in Saturday's poll, along with local issues including crime and the economy. A low voter turnout was predicted ahead of the vote.
Labor was up against the Country Liberal Party (CLP) led by Lia Finocchiaro and the new Territory Alliance party led by former CLP chief minister Terry Mills. Ms Finocchiaro was predicted to secure six seats.
The NT's 141,000 voters are split across 25 seats – and a low turnout would mean contests decided by a handful of votes.
The NT was in the economic doldrums even before the coronavirus recession hit. However, Mr Gunner's handling of the pandemic response, particularly his decision to shut domestic borders, has been well received.
Mr Gunner led Labor to a landslide victory in 2016, winning 18 of the 25 seats to decisively oust the first-term CLP government. After the chopping and changing of party affiliations, Labor headed into the 2020 election holding 16 seats.
Former chief minister Terry Mills will contest the election for the new Territory Alliance party.Credit:Glenn Campbell
Ahead of the poll, NT Electoral Commissioner Iain Loganathan held serious concerns about the level of voter turnout. There has never been more than 82 per cent of voters casting their ballot at any NT election and this time looks particularly bad – largely because of the coronavirus.
The NT has only had 33 cases of the virus, all now recovered, and has some of the most relaxed restrictions in the nation. However, many of its remote Indigenous communities were closed between late March and early June.
"People were locked in for quite some time with the NT biosecurity zones and they've taken the opportunity since those were lifted to scatter to all corners of the Territory," CLP senator Sam McMahon said. "So there are a lot of communities where there's less than half the normal population they would have actually present."
The NT Electoral Commission has boosted its efforts to allow people in remote communities to vote.Credit:Glenn Campbell
That affects campaign structures.
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