Finocchiaro became CLP leader and leader of the opposition on 1 February 2020. ==History== ===Origins=== The Territory Country Party members first contested the 1919 federal election, with a newly established federal Country Party contesting the 1922 federal election.
Finocchiaro became CLP leader and leader of the opposition on 1 February 2020. ==History== ===Origins=== The Territory Country Party members first contested the 1919 federal election, with a newly established federal Country Party contesting the 1922 federal election.
The 1922 election saw the main opposition party to the Australian Labor Party, the Nationalist Party of Australia deprived of a majority, and were required to form a coalition in order to command a majority on the floor of parliament.
The price for such support was the resignation of Nationalist (ex-Labor) Prime Minister, Billy Hughes, who was replaced by Stanley Bruce. In 1922, the federal Division of Northern Territory was created, with one non-voting Member in the House of Representatives.
Harold George Nelson was the inaugural member serving between 16 December 1922 and 15 September 1934.
Harold George Nelson was the inaugural member serving between 16 December 1922 and 15 September 1934.
Between 15 September 1934 and 10 December 1949 the Division of Northern Territory was held by Adair Blain, an independent member.
Between 15 September 1934 and 10 December 1949 the Division of Northern Territory was held by Adair Blain, an independent member.
Between 10 December 1949 and 31 October 1966 the Division was held by Jock Nelson, a member of the ALP.
Between 10 December 1949 and 31 October 1966 the Division was held by Jock Nelson, a member of the ALP.
The Territory seat was won by the Country Party's Sam Calder at the 1966 federal election, who held the seat from 26 November 1966 to 19 September 1980. In 1966, the Country Party was established in the Northern Territory, while the Liberal Party was a small party.
In recognition of this, the local Liberals supported the Country Party's Calder for the sole NT seat from 1969 to 1972.
In recognition of this, the local Liberals supported the Country Party's Calder for the sole NT seat from 1969 to 1972.
Currently, the CLP has one representative in federal parliament, Senator Sam McMahon. The CLP dominated the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly from its establishment in 1974 until the 2001 general election, when the CLP lost government winning only 10 of the 25 seats, and was reduced further to four parliamentary members at the 2005 election.
The Northern Territory was granted self-government in 1978. Following the creation of the Legislative Assembly in 1974, the Territory's branches of the Country and Liberal parties merged to form the "Country Liberal Party" (CLP) to field candidates at the 1974 general election for the Legislative Assembly, going on to win 17 out of 19 seats.
Despite personal misgivings, Kilgariff chose to sit with the Liberal Party from 8 March 1979 in order that the CLP have representation in both parties, a practice which has been maintained where possible. The CLP governed the Northern Territory from 1974 until the 2001 election.
This result was only outdone by the 1974 election, in which the CLP faced only two independents as opposition.
Calder was largely responsible for the push to unite the non-Labor forces in the Territory. The CLP fielded candidates at the 1975 federal election, winning one seat each in the Senate and in the House of Representatives.
The Northern Territory was granted self-government in 1978. Following the creation of the Legislative Assembly in 1974, the Territory's branches of the Country and Liberal parties merged to form the "Country Liberal Party" (CLP) to field candidates at the 1974 general election for the Legislative Assembly, going on to win 17 out of 19 seats.
Since 1979, the CLP has been formally affiliated with both the federal Liberal Party of Australia and the National Party of Australia (previously the Country Party and National Country Party).
However, on 3 February 1979 a special conference of the CLP resolved that "the Federal CLP Parliamentarians be permitted to sit in the Party Rooms of their choice in Canberra".
Despite personal misgivings, Kilgariff chose to sit with the Liberal Party from 8 March 1979 in order that the CLP have representation in both parties, a practice which has been maintained where possible. The CLP governed the Northern Territory from 1974 until the 2001 election.
The Territory seat was won by the Country Party's Sam Calder at the 1966 federal election, who held the seat from 26 November 1966 to 19 September 1980. In 1966, the Country Party was established in the Northern Territory, while the Liberal Party was a small party.
Initially, the Legislative Assembly consisted of 19 members, which was increased in 1982 to 25 members, the present number.
Currently, the CLP has one representative in federal parliament, Senator Sam McMahon. The CLP dominated the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly from its establishment in 1974 until the 2001 general election, when the CLP lost government winning only 10 of the 25 seats, and was reduced further to four parliamentary members at the 2005 election.
Despite personal misgivings, Kilgariff chose to sit with the Liberal Party from 8 March 1979 in order that the CLP have representation in both parties, a practice which has been maintained where possible. The CLP governed the Northern Territory from 1974 until the 2001 election.
This was especially pronounced in the mid-1980s, when a series of party-room coups resulted in the Territory having three Chief Ministers in four years and also saw the creation of the Northern Territory Nationals as a short-lived splinter group under the leadership of former CLP chief minister Ian Tuxworth. ===2001–2012: In opposition=== At the 2001 election the Australian Labor Party won government by one seat, ending 27 years of CLP government.
The CLP even lost two seats in Palmerston, an area where the ALP had never come close to winning any seats before. In the 2001 federal election, the CLP won the newly formed seat of Solomon, based on Darwin/Palmerston, in the House of Representatives. In the 2004 federal election, the CLP held one seat in the House of Representatives, and one seat in the Senate.
However, in recent years the ALP has pulled even with the CLP in the Darwin area; indeed, its 2001 victory was fueled by an unexpected swing in Darwin. ===2012–2016: Return to government and internal conflict=== The CLP under the leadership of Terry Mills returned to power in the 2012 election with 16 of 25 seats, defeating the incumbent Labor Government led by Paul Henderson.
The CLP even lost two seats in Palmerston, an area where the ALP had never come close to winning any seats before. In the 2001 federal election, the CLP won the newly formed seat of Solomon, based on Darwin/Palmerston, in the House of Representatives. In the 2004 federal election, the CLP held one seat in the House of Representatives, and one seat in the Senate.
Currently, the CLP has one representative in federal parliament, Senator Sam McMahon. The CLP dominated the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly from its establishment in 1974 until the 2001 general election, when the CLP lost government winning only 10 of the 25 seats, and was reduced further to four parliamentary members at the 2005 election.
The loss marked a major turning point in Northern Territory politics, a result which was exacerbated when, at the 2005 election, the ALP won the second-largest majority government in the history of the Territory, reducing the once-dominant party to just four members in the Legislative Assembly.
The CLP lost its federal lower house seat in the 2007 federal election, but regained it when Palmerston deputy mayor Natasha Griggs won back Solomon for the CLP.
At the 2008 election it increased its numbers, winning 11 seats. The CLP returned to office following the 2012 election, winning 16 of 25 seats, and leader Terry Mills became Chief Minister of the Northern Territory.
She sat with the Liberals in the House. The 2008 election saw the CLP recover from the severe loss it suffered three years earlier, increasing its representation from four to 11 members.
Following the 2011 decision of ALP-turned-independent member Alison Anderson to join the CLP, this increased CLP's representation to 12 in the Assembly, leaving the incumbent Henderson Government to govern in minority with the support of Independent MP Gerry Wood. Historically, the CLP has been particularly dominant in the Territory's two major cities, Darwin/Palmerston and Alice Springs.
At the 2008 election it increased its numbers, winning 11 seats. The CLP returned to office following the 2012 election, winning 16 of 25 seats, and leader Terry Mills became Chief Minister of the Northern Territory.
However, in recent years the ALP has pulled even with the CLP in the Darwin area; indeed, its 2001 victory was fueled by an unexpected swing in Darwin. ===2012–2016: Return to government and internal conflict=== The CLP under the leadership of Terry Mills returned to power in the 2012 election with 16 of 25 seats, defeating the incumbent Labor Government led by Paul Henderson.
The party not only lost all of the bush seats it picked up in 2012, but was all but shut out of Darwin/Palmerston, winning only one seat there.
Less than a year later, Mills was replaced as Chief Minister and CLP leader by Adam Giles at the 2013 CLP leadership ballot on 13 March.
Giles was defeated at the 2015 CLP leadership ballot but managed to survive in the aftermath.
Giles was sworn in as Chief Minister on 14 March, becoming the first indigenous head of government of an Australian state or territory. Willem Westra van Holthe challenged Giles at the 2015 CLP leadership ballot on 2 February and was elected leader by the party room in a late night vote conducted by phone.
After a meeting of the parliamentary wing of the CLP, Giles announced that he would remain as party leader and Chief Minister, and that Westra van Holthe would be his deputy. ====Defections and minority government==== After four defections during the parliamentary term, the CLP was reduced to minority government by July 2015.
At the 27 August 2016 Territory election, the CLP was resoundingly defeated, winning just two of 25 seats.
The CLP lost Solomon to Labor at the election, with Gosling defeating Griggs 56–44 on the two-party vote from a 7.4 percent swing. Polling ahead of the 2016 Territory election indicated a large swing against the CLP, including a near-total collapse in Darwin/Palmerston.
On 20 January 2020, Higgins stood down as party leader and announced his retirement at the next election.
Finocchiaro became CLP leader and leader of the opposition on 1 February 2020. ==History== ===Origins=== The Territory Country Party members first contested the 1919 federal election, with a newly established federal Country Party contesting the 1922 federal election.
On 20 January 2020, Higgins announced his resignation as party leader and announced his retirement at the next election.
Finocchiaro succeeded him as CLP leader and leader of the opposition on 1 February 2020. Finocchiaro led the CLP to a modest recovery at the 2020 Territory election.
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