Government of the Northern Territory
Encyclopedia
The Northern Territory
is governed according to the principles of the Westminster system
, a form of parliamentary government based on the model of the United Kingdom
. The Northern Territory has had internal self-government since 1978, but it does not have the full legislative independence of the Australian states
.
, which consists of the Crown (represented by the Administrator of the Northern Territory
) and the members of the Assembly. While the Assembly exercises roughly the same powers as the state governments of Australia, it does so by a delegation of powers from the Federal Government
, rather than by any constitutional right. This means that the Federal Government can advise the Governor-General of Australia
to overturn any legislation passed by the Assembly; the Federal Government exercised this power, for instance, when it repealed the Territory's voluntary euthanasia
laws. (See also Electoral systems of the Australian states and territories
).
The government consists of a Ministry appointed by the Administrator, from the elected members of the Assembly. The Administrator would normally appoint the leader of the majority party in the Assembly as the Chief Minister, who then chooses the remainder of the ministry. The Northern Territory Government is a member of the Council of Australian Governments
.
who replaced former Chief Minister Clare Martin
, who led the Australian Labor Party
to their first Northern Territory electoral victory in August 2001, and to a second victory in June 2005. The Leader of the Opposition Country Liberal Party
has been Terry Mills
since January 2008.
In the 2008 election
the Labor Party won a one seat majority of 13 of the 25 seats. In June 2009 former Deputy Chief Minister Marion Scrymgour
resigned from Labor in protest at a policy of rationalising of Territory outstations
. Ms Scrymgour immediately indicated that she would still support the Government in motions of no confidence and Government supply and appropriation bills
. So the Henderson administration became a minority government
with 12 Government members, 11 Opposition members, and two independents holding the balance of power
.
In August 2009 a second indigenous Labor member Alison Anderson
quit the Labor caucus. Until her resignation Ms Anderson was the Minister for Natural Resources, Environment and Heritage; Minister for Parks and Wildlife; Minister for Arts and Museums; and Minister for Indigenous Policy. Unlike Marion Scrymgour, Ms Anderson did not indicate her confidence in the Government
. Ms Scrymgour immediately rejoined the Labor caucus, however this still left the Government with only 12 members. The Henderson Government negotiated a deal with the second independent Gerry Wood
whereby Mr Wood would support Territory Labor to continue minority government in exchange for 37 projects and policies many directly relevant to his rural electorate.
and Division of Lingiari
) and two members in the Senate. The Member for Lingiari also represents voters from Australia's Indian Ocean Territories (Christmas Island
and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands
), while the Northern Territory Senators represent those voters in the Senate.
was held on the issue in 1998, but the proposal was narrowly rejected. This was a shock to both the Northern Territory and Commonwealth governments, for opinion polls showed most Territorians supported statehood. However, under s. 121 of the Australian Constitution, the terms of admission of new states are decided by the Commonwealth Parliament. The terms offered included an increase to three seats in the Senate
from two. The other states all have 12 senators. Alongside what was cited as an arrogant approach adopted by then Chief Minister Shane Stone
, it is thought that many Territorians were reluctant to accept statehood on the offered terms.
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
is governed according to the principles of the Westminster system
Westminster System
The Westminster system is a democratic parliamentary system of government modelled after the politics of the United Kingdom. This term comes from the Palace of Westminster, the seat of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
, a form of parliamentary government based on the model of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The Northern Territory has had internal self-government since 1978, but it does not have the full legislative independence of the Australian states
States and territories of Australia
The Commonwealth of Australia is a union of six states and various territories. The Australian mainland is made up of five states and three territories, with the sixth state of Tasmania being made up of islands. In addition there are six island territories, known as external territories, and a...
.
Legislative and executive powers
Legislative power rests with the Legislative AssemblyNorthern Territory Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory is the unicameral parliament of the Northern Territory in Australia. It sits in Parliament House, located on State Square, close to the centre of the city of Darwin.-History:...
, which consists of the Crown (represented by the Administrator of the Northern Territory
Administrator of the Northern Territory
The Administrator of the Northern Territory is an official appointed by the Governor-General of Australia to exercise powers analogous to that of a state governor...
) and the members of the Assembly. While the Assembly exercises roughly the same powers as the state governments of Australia, it does so by a delegation of powers from the Federal Government
Government of Australia
The Commonwealth of Australia is a federal constitutional monarchy under a parliamentary democracy. The Commonwealth of Australia was formed in 1901 as a result of an agreement among six self-governing British colonies, which became the six states...
, rather than by any constitutional right. This means that the Federal Government can advise the Governor-General of Australia
Governor-General of Australia
The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia is the representative in Australia at federal/national level of the Australian monarch . He or she exercises the supreme executive power of the Commonwealth...
to overturn any legislation passed by the Assembly; the Federal Government exercised this power, for instance, when it repealed the Territory's voluntary euthanasia
Euthanasia
Euthanasia refers to the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering....
laws. (See also Electoral systems of the Australian states and territories
Electoral systems of the Australian states and territories
The legislatures of the Australian states and territories all follow the Westminster model described in the Australian electoral system. When the Australian colonies were granted responsible government in the nineteenth century, their constitutions provided for legislative assemblies elected by...
).
The government consists of a Ministry appointed by the Administrator, from the elected members of the Assembly. The Administrator would normally appoint the leader of the majority party in the Assembly as the Chief Minister, who then chooses the remainder of the ministry. The Northern Territory Government is a member of the Council of Australian Governments
Council of Australian Governments
The Council of Australian Governments is an organisation consisting of the federal government, the governments of the six states and two mainland territories and the Australian Local Government Association. It was established in May 1992 after agreement by the then Prime Minister, Premiers and...
.
Current parliament
The current head of government is Chief Minister Paul HendersonPaul Henderson (Australian politician)
Paul Raymond Henderson is an Australian politician and the current Chief Minister of the Northern Territory.Henderson was born in Croix-Chapeau, France, where his father was serving with the United States military. He was educated in Great Britain to A-Levels and studied mechanical...
who replaced former Chief Minister Clare Martin
Clare Martin
Clare Majella Martin is a former Australian politician. She is the current CEO of the Australian Council of Social Service . A former journalist, she was elected to the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly in a shock by-election win in 1995...
, who led the Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
to their first Northern Territory electoral victory in August 2001, and to a second victory in June 2005. The Leader of the Opposition Country Liberal Party
Country Liberal Party
The Northern Territory Country Liberal Party is a Northern Territory political party affiliated with both the National and Liberal parties...
has been Terry Mills
Terry Mills (politician)
Terrence Kennedy Mills is the current Country Liberal Party leader and opposition leader in the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly since 29 January 2008...
since January 2008.
In the 2008 election
Northern Territory general election, 2008
General elections were held in the Northern Territory of Australia on 9 August 2008. 23 of the 25 seats in the Legislative Assembly were contested; two safe Labor seats were uncontested...
the Labor Party won a one seat majority of 13 of the 25 seats. In June 2009 former Deputy Chief Minister Marion Scrymgour
Marion Scrymgour
Marion Rose Scrymgour is an Australian politician. She has been a member of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly since 2001, representing the electorate of Arafura. She was the Labor Party Deputy Chief Minister of the Northern Territory from November 2007 until February 2009, and was the...
resigned from Labor in protest at a policy of rationalising of Territory outstations
Outstation movement
The Outstation movement refers to the relocation of Indigenous Australians from towns to remote outposts on traditional tribal land.As described in the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody a range of problems faced Aboriginal people living in towns.During the 1980s a number of groups...
. Ms Scrymgour immediately indicated that she would still support the Government in motions of no confidence and Government supply and appropriation bills
Appropriation bill
An appropriation bill or running bill is a legislative motion which authorizes the government to spend money. It is a bill that sets money aside for specific spending...
. So the Henderson administration became a minority government
Minority government
A minority government or a minority cabinet is a cabinet of a parliamentary system formed when a political party or coalition of parties does not have a majority of overall seats in the parliament but is sworn into government to break a Hung Parliament election result. It is also known as a...
with 12 Government members, 11 Opposition members, and two independents holding the balance of power
Balance of power (parliament)
In parliamentary politics, the term balance of power sometimes describes the pragmatic mechanism exercised by a minor political party or other grouping whose guaranteed support may enable an otherwise minority government to obtain and hold office...
.
In August 2009 a second indigenous Labor member Alison Anderson
Alison Anderson
Alison Anderson is an Australian politician. She has been a member of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly since 2005, representing the electorate of MacDonnell, and is a prominent indigenous activist and former Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission Central Zone Commissioner...
quit the Labor caucus. Until her resignation Ms Anderson was the Minister for Natural Resources, Environment and Heritage; Minister for Parks and Wildlife; Minister for Arts and Museums; and Minister for Indigenous Policy. Unlike Marion Scrymgour, Ms Anderson did not indicate her confidence in the Government
Confidence and supply
In a parliamentary democracy confidence and supply are required for a government to hold power. A confidence and supply agreement is an agreement that a minor party or independent member of parliament will support the government in motions of confidence and appropriation votes by voting in favour...
. Ms Scrymgour immediately rejoined the Labor caucus, however this still left the Government with only 12 members. The Henderson Government negotiated a deal with the second independent Gerry Wood
Gerry Wood
Gerard Vincent "Gerry" Wood is an Australian politician. A former mayor of the Northern Territory shire of Litchfield, he has been an independent member of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly since 2001, representing the electorate of Nelson....
whereby Mr Wood would support Territory Labor to continue minority government in exchange for 37 projects and policies many directly relevant to his rural electorate.
Federal representation of NT
The territory is represented in the Commonwealth parliament by two members in the House of Representatives (the Division of SolomonDivision of Solomon
The Division of Solomon is an Australian Electoral Division in the Northern Territory. It covers the cities of Darwin and Palmerston...
and Division of Lingiari
Division of Lingiari
The Division of Lingiari is an Australian Electoral Division in the Northern Territory. It was created in 2000, out of the former Division of Northern Territory. It covers almost the entire Territory , an area of , making it the second largest electorate in terms of area in Australia...
) and two members in the Senate. The Member for Lingiari also represents voters from Australia's Indian Ocean Territories (Christmas Island
Christmas Island
The Territory of Christmas Island is a territory of Australia in the Indian Ocean. It is located northwest of the Western Australian city of Perth, south of the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, and ENE of the Cocos Islands....
and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
The Territory of the Cocos Islands, also called Cocos Islands and Keeling Islands, is a territory of Australia, located in the Indian Ocean, southwest of Christmas Island and approximately midway between Australia and Sri Lanka....
), while the Northern Territory Senators represent those voters in the Senate.
Proposed Northern Territory statehood
For many years there has been agitation for statehood. A referendumNorthern Territory referendum, 1998
A referendum was held in the Northern Territory on Saturday, 3 October 1998, to decide whether the Territory should become a State of the Commonwealth of Australia. The Country Liberal Party government, and its federal counterpart, supported the Yes case. The opposition Australian Labor Party...
was held on the issue in 1998, but the proposal was narrowly rejected. This was a shock to both the Northern Territory and Commonwealth governments, for opinion polls showed most Territorians supported statehood. However, under s. 121 of the Australian Constitution, the terms of admission of new states are decided by the Commonwealth Parliament. The terms offered included an increase to three seats in the Senate
Australian Senate
The Senate is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Australia, the lower house being the House of Representatives. Senators are popularly elected under a system of proportional representation. Senators are elected for a term that is usually six years; after a double dissolution, however,...
from two. The other states all have 12 senators. Alongside what was cited as an arrogant approach adopted by then Chief Minister Shane Stone
Shane Stone
Shane Leslie Stone AC, QC is an Australian political figure. From 26 May 1995 to 8 February 1999 he was Chief Minister of the Northern Territory, representing the Country Liberal Party.-Biography:Stone was born in Bendigo, Victoria...
, it is thought that many Territorians were reluctant to accept statehood on the offered terms.