Northern Territory election: Adam Giles says he'll 'have a beer' if he loses
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Version 0 of 1. Adam Giles has vowed to have a beer if he loses his job as chief minister of the Northern Territory after the votes are tallied up. The chief minister cast his vote on Saturday morning, declaring himself and independent Jane Clark – whom he put No.2 – the only ones who deserve a vote in his seat of Braitling. Some are predicting a close race for the “safe” Alice Springs electorate, which would require a huge swing against the Country Liberal party to be claimed by Labor’s Dale Wakefield. Giles won the seat in 2012 by almost 20% but his party has been plagued by scandals and goes to the polls with a minority government after five members defected. The chief minister admits no one wants the job of being a politician to come to an end but says he will wait and see what happens on Saturday night. But, if he does lose, his immediate plan is, “I’ll have a beer”, he told reporters in Alice Springs on Saturday. Giles believes voters are concerned Labor would kick the territory into recession, and insists the CLP has a plan to prevent the worst. But his Labor rival accused the CLP government of performing terribly during the past four years. “[Voters are] very concerned about the boys’ club, that mates are getting jobs,” she told reporters after voting at Braitling primary school. “A lot of people are very concerned that the chief minister isn’t in the electorate very much.” She admits she needs a large swing to knock off the chief minister but said she would use a win to focus on the community and being a local member. “The performance of this government has been so appalling, we’re in with a decent chance tonight,” she said. Nearby in the electorate of Araluen, the former deputy chief minister and defected CLP member Robyn Lambley is hoping voters will buck the trend of the past three decades and elect a non-CLP member. Running as an independent after she quit the party, Lambley knows she’s up for a tough fight. “I’m sitting in probably the bluest, blue-ribbon seat in the NT,” she told reporters on Saturday. “So it is a huge ask to expect people to vote for an independent after having a CLP person sitting in Araleun for so many years.” She believes voters are “very disappointed” in the CLP and its leader but will wait until the votes are counted before counting on a victory. “I’m hopeful but I’m not counting my chickens before they hatch,” she said. Giles was to hold a CLP election function in Alice Springs on Saturday evening. |