In contrast to the intense political heat of the federal election campaign’s final day, people in the Northern Territory have begun voting in conditions ideal for the cool-headed.
Fresh in voter memories is a flurry of 11th-hour claims and counter-claims by the major parties on spending, costings, who promised what, when, and who was playing fast and easy with the facts.
For a jurisdiction of just two Lower House seats and two Senate places, it was an impressive display of political firepower as Labor and Coalition heavyweights and local candidates ensured they used up all the ammunition in their respective lockers.
Today, with cooling easterly winds clearing the smoke of barbeques and sausage sizzles at many voting stations, a forecast maximum temperature in the Top End of 32 degrees Celsius and relatively low humidity, conditions were ideal for heading to the ballot boxes.
For getting it all done and dusted.
In Alice Springs, early voting was tipped to be sparse; a minimum temperature of 10 degrees Celsius expected to keep voters indoors until the day warmed a little.
The Northern Territory relies on the Commonwealth for about 80 per cent of its public sector income, so the results of federal elections are no small issue.
Northern Australia, particularly the Territory, has been in the spotlight throughout this election campaign.
From Tony Abbott’s northern food bowl to Kevin Rudd’s proposed special economic zone featuring possible future cuts in company tax; variations of ideas that long-term Territorians have heard before have been pulled once more from their pigeon-holes.
Labor and the Coalition have mostly matched each other, commitment for commitment, dollar for dollar.
Need $ 110 million for a new hospital at Palmerston? No worries.
In a place where fishing is treated almost as a religion, even a boat ramp gets promised $ 200,000 for an upgrade.
ABC election analyst Anthony Green says results in the Territory are unlikely to play a role in the big picture.
But there are points of interest.
Long-serving Lingiari MP faces a challenge from the Country Liberals’ Tina MacFarlane in the massive seat of Lingiari.
Alot will depend on the Indigenous vote.
MP Natasha Griggs is not a shoo-in to win Solomon after a strong campaign by Labor’s Luke Gosling.
The Senate seats are likely to be split between the two sides: Labor’s Nova Peris and the Coalition’s Nigel Scullion.
However, preferences could have a big say in those expectations.
Anything is possible in this election.
The Territory has more than 120,000 registered voters; historically, the lowest voter participation rate and the highest informal vote rate in the nation.
It won’t be a long day.
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