ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact
The Liberal Party has been quick to claim the Country Liberal Party’s (CLP) success in the Northern Territory as a national rejection of Labor, despite it being a regional contest in a territory known for its electoral swings.
Federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton wasted no time in leveraging the NT result.
“This is a clear message to the Albanese government: Australians are fed up with Labor’s mismanagement,” Dutton explained to The Advocate.
“This result isn’t just about the NT; it’s about the entire nation waking up to the disaster that is Labor. We’re going to see the name result in the NSW Local Elections coming up week after next, uh,”
However, when confronted about the NSW Liberal Party’s embarrassing failure to register candidates for the upcoming local government elections, Dutton was noticeably more evasive.
“Look, administrative issues happen. What’s important is that we focus on the big picture, and the NT result shows that Australians are looking for real leadership—leadership that only the Liberals can provide. You need to keep in mind that it was the NSW Liberal Party that made the mistake, not the federal body.”
He dismissed the NSW fiasco as a “minor paperwork error,” insisting it had no bearing on the broader political landscape.
“The real story here is in the NT. The people of Australia have spoken. The Albanese Government is on notice.” Dutton emphasised, while quickly changing the subject when asked about the implications for local governance in NSW.
Political analysts have noted the irony of the situation.
“It’s fascinating to see how the Liberals are eager to trumpet the NT results as a national mandate while sweeping the NSW debacle under the rug. It’s spin at its finest,” said The Advocate’s election guru, Goodsen Servusus.
As the dust settles in the Territory, the Liberals are clearly hoping that voters will focus on the NT’s ‘mandate’ and forget about the NSW ‘bedshit’ but whether that strategy will hold up remains to be seen.
More to come.
