OPINION: Terry Mills first tried starting a new party here in the Northern Territory over two years ago. He made attempts to do this with the Nationals and the Liberal party. At the time I thought it was for genuine reasons.
The reasons being the conservatives of the NT did not have the best representation we could have and bringing the Nationals or Liberals to the NT would result in a better polity. I supported this.
Looking back now, I see that this was just the easiest way to gain the most power and had nothing to do with supporting the core belief of the Nationals or Liberals. It was not because he was standing behind the political ideology of the Nationals or the Liberals.
Terry Mills has completely turned his back on the core values of conservatism to gain popular support. No blue blood conservative could live with themselves after preferencing the Greens, as Territory Alliance did at the Johnston byelection.
For me, a man who turns his back on his core beliefs is a man with no beliefs at all. If he truly stood by the values of what the Nationals and Liberals represent, he would not be leading what is Territory Alliance today, a group that is attempting to be everything to everyone.
A political party that is attempting to be left, right, regressive and progressive all rolled into one and relying on a “common sense approach” to get the best outcome for our society and economy. It is ludicrous to think that elected members from all spectrums of the political sphere can form under one brand and provide stability. There is no evidence anywhere else in the world of this being successful.
Territory Alliance is a party that is building popularity based on the dislike and poor performance of the two major parties. And the majors are delivering this in droves.
OPINION: Terry Mills – Fracking is a false hope the Territory taxpayer cannot afford
It goes without saying that the performance of the Gunner Government has been extremely poor, and this follows a very dysfunctional CLP Government. My view is we have had 20 years of relatively bad governments here in the NT, which has led to a strong appetite form the public for something new. This has given Territory Alliance the political real estate to gain popularity with very little scrutiny of what they stand for and what is at the core of their party. The public are just looking for anything else.
This week, Terry Mill’s backflip on fracking in an effort to gain popular support means we must all pay very close attention to what they stand for. This behaviour shows us Territory Alliance will provide just another type of dysfunction and failure, similar to what we have had from the others. I encourage you all to watch this one very closely.
Owen Pike is a local business owner and the publisher of the NT Independent. The views expressed are his own.
A collision between Budget misuse and democratic responsibilities essay
- Part IV: A collision between Budget misuse and democratic responsibilities
- Part III: A collision between Budget misuse and democratic responsibilities
- Part II: A collision between Budget misuse and democratic responsibilities
- Part I: A collision between Budget misuse and democratic responsibilities
I agree with your comment ‘that the appetite for something new’ is huge. How do we use our vote to achieve that? I suggest that we have no alternative but to get as many independents elected in the hope that some sort of workable coalition can be achieved. Sure, we’ll have a bunch of inexperienced, naive, perhaps gullible members who have a lot to learn. But, how would that be much different from what’s currently occupying the parliament at the moment? Unfortunately the opinion pieces by both yourself and Dr Fuller suggest little in the way of solutions. Admit it, there is no way that the CLP is going to come close to providing an opposition. Would not it be better that TA be given an opportunity to implement some of the Langoulant recommendations? Surely doing something NOW, instead of waiting for Paul and Andy from Aramco to propose more ridiculous proposals based upon a gas based recovery. In this TA has been consistent, unless fracking can produce some income it should not be licensed.