Members of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly, 1974–1977 facts for kids
The Northern Territory is a big part of Australia, and just like other states, it has its own government to make rules and decisions. This article is about the very first group of people who were elected to help run the Northern Territory. They were part of something called the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly.
Meet the First Lawmakers of the Northern Territory
The first ever Northern Territory Legislative Assembly was formed in 1974. This was a really important step for the Northern Territory. Before this, the Australian government in Canberra made most of the decisions.
What is a Legislative Assembly?
A Legislative Assembly is like a special team of elected people who make laws for a region. These people are called "members" or "politicians." They represent different areas, called "electorates," and work together to decide what's best for everyone.
When the first Legislative Assembly started in 1974, it had some powers, but not all of them. The Northern Territory didn't get full "self-government" until 1978. This meant that for a few years, the Assembly was learning the ropes and slowly taking on more responsibility.
Who Were the First Members?
The first Assembly had 19 members. Most of them belonged to the Country Liberal Party (CLP). Two members were "Independents," meaning they didn't belong to a political party. These members served from 1974 to 1977.
Here is a list of the people who were part of this first important group:
| Name | Party | Electorate | Years in office |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liz Andrew | CLP | Sanderson | 1974–1977 |
| Milton Ballantyne | CLP | Nhulunbuy | 1974–1980 |
| Nick Dondas | CLP | Casuarina | 1974–1994 |
| Paul Everingham | CLP | Jingili | 1974–1984 |
| Bernie Kilgariff | CLP | Alice Springs | 1974–1976 |
| Rupert Kentish | CLP | Arnhem | 1974–1977 |
| Dawn Lawrie | Independent | Nightcliff | 1974–1983 |
| Goff Letts | CLP | Victoria River | 1974–1977 |
| Eric Manuell | CLP | Alice Springs | 1976–1977 |
| Les MacFarlane | CLP | Elsey | 1974–1983 |
| Marshall Perron | CLP | Stuart Park | 1974–1995 |
| Dave Pollock | CLP | MacDonnell | 1974–1977 |
| Jim Robertson | CLP | Gillen | 1974–1986 |
| Roger Ryan | CLP | Millner | 1974–1977 |
| Roger Steele | CLP | Ludmilla | 1974–1990 |
| Grant Tambling | CLP | Fannie Bay | 1974–1977 |
| Hyacinth Tungutalum | CLP | Tiwi | 1974–1977 |
| Ian Tuxworth | CLP | Barkly | 1974–1990 |
| Roger Vale | CLP | Stuart | 1974–1994 |
| Ron Withnall | Independent | Port Darwin | 1974–1977 |
One of the members, Bernie Kilgariff, left the Assembly in 1975. He wanted to try for a seat in the Australian Senate, which is part of the national government. After he left, a special election was held in 1976. This is called a "by-election." Eric Manuell won this election and became the new member for Alice Springs.
This first group of lawmakers helped set the stage for the Northern Territory to become more independent and make its own decisions.
