Chief Minister of the Northern Territory facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Chief Minister of theNorthern Territory |
|
---|---|
![]() Flag of the Northern Territory
|
|
![]() Coat of arms of the Northern Territory
|
|
Department of the Chief Minister | |
Style | The Honourable |
Abbreviation | CM |
Member of |
|
Reports to | Parliament |
Seat | Darwin, Northern Territory |
Appointer | Administrator of the Northern Territory |
Term length | At the Administrator's pleasure
contingent on the chief minister's ability to command confidence in the house of Parliament
|
Constituting instrument | None (constitutional convention) |
Formation | 19 October 1974 as Majority Leader 1 July 1978 as chief minister |
First holder | Goff Letts as Majority Leader Paul Everingham as chief minister |
Deputy | Deputy Chief Minister of the Northern Territory |
Salary | A$325,392 |
Website | www.chiefminister.nt.gov.au |
The Chief Minister of the Northern Territory is the main leader of the government in the Northern Territory of Australia. This job is similar to a state premier in other parts of Australia.
When the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly (which is like their parliament) was first created in 1974, the leader was called the Majority Leader. This title was used until 1978. In 1978, the Northern Territory gained more control over its own affairs, and the leader's title changed to Chief Minister. The Chief Minister then had much more power.
The Administrator officially appoints the Chief Minister. Usually, the Administrator chooses the leader of the political party that has the most seats in the Legislative Assembly. This is how the system works in a parliamentary democracy.
Since August 28, 2024, Lia Finocchiaro from the Country Liberal Party has been the Chief Minister. She is the fourth woman to hold this important position in the Northern Territory.
Top - 0-9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z |
How the Chief Minister Role Began
The Country Liberal Party won the very first election in the Northern Territory on October 19, 1974. Their leader, Goff Letts, became the first Majority Leader. He led a group called the Executive, which acted much like a government ministry.
In the 1977 election, Goff Letts lost his seat and his leadership role. Paul Everingham from the Country Liberal Party took over as Majority Leader on August 13, 1977.
When the Northern Territory became self-governing on July 1, 1978, Paul Everingham became the first Chief Minister. His Executive group then officially became a Ministry, which is a formal government team.
Even though the leader was called "Majority Leader," the opposing leader was known as the Leader of the Opposition, not the Minority Leader.
Important Moments in Leadership
In 2001, Clare Martin made history. She became the first Chief Minister from the Labor Party and the first female Chief Minister of the Northern Territory.
Before 2004, the Northern Territory Electoral Office handled elections and drew electoral boundaries. This office was part of the Chief Minister's department. In March 2004, an independent group called the Northern Territory Electoral Commission was created to do this work.
In 2013, Adam Giles became the Chief Minister and leader of the Country Liberal Party. He was the first indigenous Australian to lead a state or territory government in Australia.
After the 2016 election, Michael Gunner from the Labor Party became Chief Minister. He was the first Chief Minister who was born in the Northern Territory.
Michael Gunner announced he would resign on May 10, 2022. On May 13, 2022, Natasha Fyles was chosen by the Labor Party members to take his place. She resigned on December 19, 2023. On December 21, 2023, Eva Lawler replaced Natasha Fyles. Eva Lawler's term ended on August 28, 2024.
Who Has Been Chief Minister?
From 1974 to 1978, the leader was called the Majority Leader. Here are the people who held that role:
- Political parties
Country Liberal Party (CLP) Territory Labor Party (TL)
No. | Portrait | Name Electoral division (Birth–death) |
Election | Term of office | Political party | Executive | Administrator | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Term start | Term end | Time in office | |||||||
1 | Goff Letts MLA for Victoria River (1928–2023) |
1974 | 19 October 1974 |
12 August 1977 |
2 years, 297 days | CLP | Letts | Jock Nelson (1973–1975) |
|
None (1975–1978) |
|||||||||
2 | Paul Everingham MLA for Jingili (born 1943) |
1977 | 13 August 1977 |
30 June 1978 |
321 days | CLP | Everingham | ||
John England (1978–1981) |
From 1978 onwards, the position has been known as the Chief Minister:
No. | Portrait | Name Electoral division (Birth–death) |
Election | Term of office | Political party | Ministry | Administrator | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Term start | Term end | Time in office | |||||||
1 | Paul Everingham MLA for Jingili (born 1943) |
— | 1 July 1978 |
15 October 1984 |
6 years, 106 days | CLP | Everingham | John England (1978–1981) |
|
1980 | |||||||||
Eric Johnston (1981–1989) |
|||||||||
1983 | |||||||||
2 | Ian Tuxworth MLA for Barkly (1942–2020) |
— | 16 October 1984 |
13 May 1986 |
1 year, 209 days | CLP | Tuxworth | ||
3 | Stephen Hatton MLA for Nightcliff (born 1948) |
— | 14 May 1986 |
12 July 1988 |
2 years, 59 days | CLP | Hatton | ||
1987 | |||||||||
4 | Marshall Perron MLA for Fannie Bay (born 1942) |
— | 13 July 1988 |
24 May 1995 |
6 years, 315 days | CLP | Perron | ||
James Muirhead (1989–1993) |
|||||||||
1990 | |||||||||
Austin Asche (1993–1997) |
|||||||||
1994 | |||||||||
5 | Shane Stone MLA for Port Darwin (born 1950) |
— | 25 May 1995 |
7 February 1999 |
3 years, 258 days | CLP | Stone | ||
1997 | |||||||||
Neil Conn (1997–2000) |
|||||||||
6 | Denis Burke MLA for Brennan (born 1948) |
— | 8 February 1999 |
27 August 2001 |
2 years, 200 days | CLP | Burke | ||
John Anictomatis (2000–2003) |
|||||||||
7 | Clare Martin MLA for Fannie Bay (born 1952) |
2001 | 27 August 2001 |
26 November 2007 |
6 years, 91 days | TL | Martin | ||
Ted Egan (2003–2007) |
|||||||||
2005 | |||||||||
Tom Pauling (2007–2011) |
|||||||||
8 | Paul Henderson MLA for Wanguri (born 1962) |
— | 26 November 2007 |
28 August 2012 |
4 years, 276 days | TL | Henderson | ||
2008 | |||||||||
Sally Thomas (2011–2014) |
|||||||||
9 | Terry Mills MLA for Blain (born 1957) |
2012 | 29 August 2012 |
13 March 2013 |
196 days | CLP | Mills | ||
10 | Adam Giles MLA for Braitling (born 1973) |
— | 14 March 2013 |
30 August 2016 |
3 years, 169 days | CLP | Giles | ||
John Hardy (2014–2017) |
|||||||||
11 | Michael Gunner MLA for Fannie Bay (born 1976) |
2016 | 31 August 2016 |
13 May 2022 |
5 years, 255 days | TL | Gunner | ||
Vicki O'Halloran (2017–2023) |
|||||||||
2020 | |||||||||
12 | Natasha Fyles MLA for Nightcliff (born 1978) |
— | 13 May 2022 |
21 December 2023 |
1 year, 222 days | TL | Fyles | ||
Hugh Heggie (since 2023) |
|||||||||
13 | Eva Lawler MLA for Drysdale (born 1962) |
— | 21 December 2023 |
28 August 2024 | 251 days | TL | Lawler | ||
14 | Lia Finocchiaro MLA for Spillett (born 1984) |
2024 | 28 August 2024 | Incumbent | 332 days | CLP | Finocchiaro |
More Information
- List of chief ministers of the Northern Territory by time in office
- Territory rig