Kon Vatskalis has dug his heels in following the NT Electoral Commission declaring former CLP deputy chief minister Peter Styles the next Lord Mayor of Darwin on Saturday, writing on social media Sunday morning that he “will not accept the result as real and/or fair” while questions remain over alleged electoral fraud involving fake how-to-vote cards delivered to polling centres by Mr Styles’s wife.
The NTEC finally distributed preferences for all races across the NT early into Saturday morning, including in Darwin and Alice Springs, with Mr Styles elected Darwin Mayor after preferences, and former Greens candidate Asta Hill winning in Alice Springs, while incumbent Athina Pascoe-Bell retained her position as Palmerston Mayor.
But Mr Vatskalis wrote on Sunday that he will not concede the Darwin mayoral election to Mr Styles due to “dodgy business” involving fake how-to-vote cards “printed and distributed by the Styles camp and associates, which has led to a number of formal complaints [being] lodged to NTEC and ICAC as well as investigated now by the NT Police”.
After preferences were distributed, Mr Vatskalis came third, behind Julie Fraser and winner Mr Styles.
Mr Vatskalis, a former NT Labor minister, also took a few partisan political shots at Mr Styles for commenting in a radio interview that the public should not judge him on his time in the Giles CLP ministry that saw that government sell TIO and the Darwin Port.
“Looks like he has nt [sic] changed much, after all you cannot teach an old dog new tricks,” Mr Vatskalis wrote.
“Let me make it clear, the people have voted but under the current circumstances I will not ACCEPT THE RESULT AS REAL AND/OR FAIR when an electoral fraud, in my opinion, has been committed and for which I have lodged a formal complaint with the NTEC.”
It was revealed last week that fake how-to-vote cards were distributed to early polling centres for Darwin mayoral candidates Amye Un and Vicki Bonson, that had their preferences altered and were not authorised by the candidates, which led the NT Electoral Commission to look into the matter, with the Territory’s anti-corruption body also briefed on the situation, and later being referred to the NT Police.
In Ms Un’s case, the unauthorised cards had Mr Styles at number two, while her original cards had him at number four.
It was alleged that Mr Styles and fellow mayoral candidate Leah Potter breached the Electoral Act by producing the fake how-to-vote cards that were delivered to at least two early polling centres by Mr Styles’s wife Linda Falzdeen.
Ms Potter claimed the scheme was her idea and that Mr Styles did not end up providing her with any money, although he did offer to pay for the how-to-vote cards for Ms Potter and the other women, provided he was put number two on their cards.
“I take full responsibility,” Ms Potter told the NT Independent last week, claiming none of the unauthorised cards were distributed, despite being delivered to at least two polling centres by Ms Fazldeen.
She added Mr Styles had offered to pay for the printing of the new cards because she did “not have any money” but that “in the end we ran out of time and I printed them on my Officeworks account”.
Ms Potter also said Mr Styles and Ms Falzdeen lent the other candidates A-frames for their corflutes.
Under the Electoral Act, donations of $200 or more must be disclosed, as well as any loans of $1500 or more.
The lending of the A-frames may be considered a gift-in-kind, which would also have to be disclosed.
Failure to properly authorise campaign material is subject to a fine of 100 penalty units or $18,900.
The NT Electoral Commission said last week it was reviewing the situation as a “matter of priority” with the ICAC and NT Police notified.
Mr Vatskalis wrote on Sunday that Mr Styles and others had “manipulated” the democratic process.
“Please note that this not [sic] something I am doing myself but to make sure that people who manipulate maliciously the democratic process to their benefit should be held accountable sending a message to potential fraudsters,” he wrote.
“Should another candidate had won the election ie [Julie] Fraser, I would have been on the phone congratulating him/her on the win. But not Styles.
“I prefer to wait for the investigations results!”
The NT Electoral Commission announced the election results in an email at 4:30am Saturday morning, following two weeks of vote counting and after the deadline for receipt of postal ballots on Friday. The results will be certified on Monday morning at 10am.
Mr Styles led the mayoral race with primary votes and was elected after preferences were distributed, with Julie Fraser coming in second after preferences were distributed.
Mr Vatskalis came third.
Mr Styles told ABC Radio on Sunday that he was focused on his new responsibilities as mayor.
“For those who didn’t vote for me, I’ll look after them as well, because that’s your role, that’s your job, to look after everyone and make sure that we make the City of Darwin a better place,” he said.
Other local government election results
NT Greens-endorsed candidate Asta Hill was declared the new Mayor of Alice Springs after narrowly defeating long-serving councillor Eli Melky for the position, after preferences, the NTEC reported.
Her election is seen as a major rebuke to the CLP, with a Greens-aligned political figure never holding public office in Alice Springs before.
“I’ve been overwhelmed by messages from community members this morning saying that this result has given them hope for the future of our town. I’m so grateful to be able to give back to the town that raised me,” she told NT News.
“In a time where the Territory Government is using division and fear, the people of Alice Springs have chosen hope.”
Ms Hill ran for the Greens in last year’s NT election, narrowly losing to the CLP’s Josh Burgoyne in Braitling. Mr Burgoyne’s wife Lisa-Marie came third in the mayoral contest.
In Palmerston, Athina Pascoe-Bell was easily returned as mayor, marking her third consecutive term.
Ms Pascoe-Bell secured 49 per cent of the primary vote and quickly obtained the quota after preferences.
Joanna Holden was elected mayor in Katherine.
In Litchfield, incumbent Doug Barden lost his position to challenger Rachael Wright.
Let’s not forget 2015 NTG ALP Shadow Minister Michael Gunner was part of the Advisory committee who voted for the CCP to be awarded a 99 year Darwin Port lease? Vatskalis also caused many problems with the Cyclone Tracy Committee & the potential for financial grant fraud has yet to be determined? Vatskalis is Greek, was not in Australia in 1974 yet overrode decisions? It is time Australians challenged these corrupted local councils who bully rate-payers.
Also Darwin Waterfront W1 & 2 Toga apartment owners should stop paying City of Darwin annual municipal rates as we are banned from voting in local elections. Time to rescind the 2006 DWC ACT which ALP CM Claire Martin & Lands Minister Kon Vatskalis created on 28/8/2006. DWC Board is now a money laundering vehicle for NTG public servants.
Jane Davies sometimes I wonder if you are being put up to these comments in order to make ‘the dissenters’ look like a pack of crazies.
You keep bringing up the fact that someone is Greek like they’re all in on some big ethnic conspiracy, ignorant to the reality that they just as often undermine one another (just like any other diaspora living in Australia). Ask George Mamouzellos if you don’t believe that. Of course, he’s male, so you probably don’t trust him either
I identify as Male, this week, and I dont trust George!
I agree with Janie Davies it is about this Darwin Waterfront Corporation and the Darwin Waterfront Corporation Act (NT) of the Northern Territory Parliament be disbanded and put into the dustbin of history.
As a tax payer I am seeking an explanation as to why persons who live at Darwin Waterfront Corporation are not allowed to vote in relation to Darwin City Council local government elections.
This is moronic and stupid for starters and why are people who own property and live at the Darwin Waterfront Corporation not allowed to vote in Darwin City Council elections if they pay rates to the Darwin City Council ?
Furthermore why are tax payers being burdened with the Darwin Waterfront Corporation and what do tax payers of the Northern Territory get for the $25 million spent by tax payers and furthermore why is there the excessive secrecy and lack of transparency in relation to the so called tax payer funded employees of the Darwin Waterfront Corporation.
It is about time our NT Politicians and Darwin City Council elected members became informed and start discussing this moronic and stupid situation and stop this moronic and stupidity continuing.
It is also about time Darwin City Council be named Darwin City Council not the name “City of Darwin”. It is the Darwin City Council and has always been Darwin City Council since its inception in the year 1957.
Well Peter I would suggest you scrap the new council building. Turn it into a carpark move all the council building employees into one of the many vacant NTG funded empty rented buildings and create more parking in the city. And once you have done that find the filing cabinet with all the back room deals and goings-on I’m sure with your back ground as a police officer this shouldn’t be to hard.
Amazing how even the simplest procedures like electing mayors turns to less than honest candidates.
Meanwhile, the Darwin City Council needs a huge clean out , as recently today they are shirking their responsibilities of making footpaths safe. Absolutely disgraceful. Let’s hope that the elected mayor gets their act together.
I don’t think they pay rates to DCC – they pay them to the waterfront corporation. Like it or not I think the arrangement with the waterfront is more like a body corporate that also provides some council services.
On the DCC and waterfront merger, tell me this. As a Darwin ratepayer – why should I subsidise what is now aging (15+) infrastructure built by the ntg when a whole lot of maintenance costs are coming up? NTG built it – they should pay for it and if they wanted it to be the DCCs problem/offload future maintenance costs they should have offloaded it at the start of its useful economic life. They didn’t and here we are.
Lucio put those questions to Labor not the CLP
This is embaressingly embaressing!
Some amateur candidates, could not organise final checks on their vital “how to vote” cards and everyone is running to the cops as if their was a deliberate attack on Western Democracy?
If your stupid enough and cash strapped enough not to print your own marketing material and then not triple check the final document before printing, you do not deserve to be a council alderman.
NTEC should now be forced to run IQ tests and financial checks on candidates.
2023/24 DWC Board funnelled $31m through multiple accounts including Toga & AustraliaAustral Railways with no transparency as identified in the 2025 DWC PAC Enquiry for corruption where the Chair Patrick Bellot became very upset at defending ten years of financial mismanagement & HR lack of public accountability. Sam Burke was awarded $400,000.00 for higher duties for a job not advertised. I’m sick of being a Waterfront useful idiot!
Well at least Con will have to use his own money now to sue people instead of the rate payers, if Styles has any brains he will give the town clerk the boot.
When has a Labour person ever spent their own money?
That Government money is just sitting there, begging to be spent!