By Willem Westra van Holthe
The CLP’s win was resounding.
It shows again that the electorate will punish incumbents if they feel that government is disconnected, and not responding to their basic needs; in this case, the need for safety – the feeling that they are not even safe in their own homes.
In truth though, Eva Lawler did a good job as CM.
I had dyed-in-the-wool conservatives tell me that she was hands-on and getting things done in spite of the bureaucracy. She was a decisive and strong leader.
Apparently however, not good enough for voters to let her keep her seat.
Also, not good enough to overcome the legacy of other chief ministers who resigned in the backdrop of alleged impropriety or scandal, not to mention various fifth floor scandals over the years. Robyn Lambley said they had become arrogant. It’s true.
Oh, and did I mention crime?
Very few people predicted such a massive swing against the government, but when a swing is on, it’s on.
As someone who lost my seat in 2016, I know how many of the Labor members are feeling today.
One point I want to make is that there is life after politics!
Losing MLAs should now be given the opportunity to get on with their lives. The saying goes that “there is nothing more ex- than an ex-politician”. I hope the media leave them to pursue the next stage of their lives and careers.
The second point I want to make is around the CLP’s performance over the last eight years.
This is what you can do when you have a tight, disciplined and united team.
Lia showed the kind of leadership that had been missing in the CLP’s political ranks in the years prior to the 2016 loss.
Lia’s team, now doubled, is an exemplar of how a political team should operate.
I know many of them personally (some for decades) and I can say that they truly live the values they have expressed in their public personas over the past months and years. They are good people.
In fact, there are good people on all sides of politics. But you will be dismissed by voters if your policies are not serving their interests… no matter how good a person (or Local Member) you are.
The next, and final, point is that the task ahead for Lia’s team is a monumental one.
When we came to office in 2012, Terry Mills promised a 10 per cent reduction in crime per year. We achieved that and then some.
After three years, rates of some types of offending were the lowest in the NT since records began.
That’s why it’s so sad to see the Territory become as unsafe and crime-ridden as it is right now.
This can be turned around again with the right policy settings and re-empowering the police to do their job. Let’s put aside unnecessary and condescending apologies and let the police get on with it.
It’ll take a while for the rank and file to get over the Zach Rolfe matter, too.
But, new government, new direction, new priorities.
I’m still a fan of good, old-fashioned, high-profile policing, so let the police do what they do best.
The age of criminal responsibility will go back to 10 years (as it should) and we hope that the tightening of bail laws will send a strong message to those who might consider reoffending while on bail. Neither of these is a silver bullet, however. Much needs to be done.
Our economy is in dire straits, proven by consecutive Commsec reports that have seen the NT lagging, quarter after quarter, behind the other states. No amount of spin can cover this undeniable fact. This is despite a stream of projects that are in the pipeline.
As often happens in politics, the new government will be standing up at the opening of these new projects, implicitly taking credit for them. Labor supporting the gas industry leaves behind a very positive legacy that the CLP can build upon.
The CLPs challenge is to keep new projects rolling in. Here, policy settings will be crucial.
The reduction in payroll tax will help. An increased supply of housing is another critical factor in rebuilding the NT. The First Home Buyer’s grant should kick this along nicely.
But the introduction of a new position in government, the Office of Territory Coordinator, is a huge step forward for potential major projects in the NT.
We all know there are statutory time frames which cannot be circumvented. The expectation, however, is that major projects will receive a new focus, with the Territory Controller keeping the public service on its toes around non-statutory time frames and approvals.
Ministers take note: one thing that does need to change is the public service’s habit of moving the goalposts. I’ve heard innumerable complaints for years about approvals being held up because each time all the approval requirements seem to have been met, the inevitable reply from a public servant is, “we also need this” or “we now need you include that” or words to that effect. Those who have experienced this will know what I mean.
This is likely an arse-covering exercise by public servants who have become risk averse and who are also feeling disempowered.
Ministers will need to be less risk averse themselves, and pass this down the line so that public servants can also get on with their jobs of facilitating the activities of private enterprise without fear.
This is about leadership – ministers taking responsibility and leading from the front.
Nature abhors a vacuum and without leadership at the ministerial and CEO levels, we’ll end up with a bunch of rudderless ships named the SS Bureaucracy.
Undeniably, running the government of the Northern Territory is immensely difficult. Lia’s team will have to make haste and do their best to bring the people of the Territory along with them on the ride. This was a part of the reason the Giles government was smashed to bits in 2016, yours truly included.
Don’t forget the lessons of selling TIO (which was still the right thing to do, by the way).
I expect we will see some changes happening quickly. Others will take more time, potentially more than one, four-year term.
Lia must work hard to be rewarded with a second term in 2028. But, if the CLP team live up to their promises, the new era dawns and it should be a good era for the Northern Territory.
Willem Westra van Holthe is a former CLP deputy chief minister and a minister from 2012-2016. He also served in the NT Police for 21 years.
Guess how different 2024 is to 2016, Willem!
>>Australia’s economy saving Iron Ore Boom is now over and Territorys fantastic GST handouts will be effected greatly ( as in Federal Funds will be substantially less)!
This will effect every NTG Department and every NGO with its hand out, and every Government tender dependent business.
>>That $1.6 Billion in debt that the CLP left after reducing the ALP Henderson/Lawrie estimated $5 billion debt is now heading to $11 or $12 billion!
It will never be paid off in our lifetimes and eats $1.6 million a day in interest payments.
>>Crime rates are sky high even with the rates being artificially lowered due to all several security layers paid for by Government (Contract & Public Hospital Security, Pubic Transport Security, Public Housing Security) and Private security guards that patrol the CBD plus Larrakia Nation! Do we need another 2 Layers of Security perhaps?
>>There is a whole page full of Business names that where operating during the CLP reign that closed/folded under the ALPs world class economic management.
>>Standard variable home loan Interest rates in Aug 2020 where 4.52% in Aug 2020, they are 8.77% as at April 2024.
>>The 12 months before Aug 2020 Home Builds was 327, as of the last 12 months (8 years later) its 278.
>>No sane local student studies at CDU, they fly out after completing Year 12!!!
>> Me thinks the new CLP administration have inherited a economic disaster that only a Labor Government could have created.