Northern Territory Legislative Assembly facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Legislative Assembly
14th Assembly
Coat of Arms of the Northern Territory
Legislative Assembly logo
Type
Type	Unicameral
History
Founded	1974; 51 years ago (1974)
Leadership
Speaker	Dheran Young, Labor Since 13 February 2024
Deputy Speaker	Paul Kirby, Labor Since 13 February 2024
Government Whip	Joel Bowden, Labor Since 23 May 2022
Structure
Seats	25
Political groups	Government (14)      Labor (14) Opposition (7)      Country Liberal (7) Crossbench (4)      Independent (4)
Length of term	4 years
Elections
Voting system	Full preferential voting
Last election	22 August 2020
Next election	24 August 2024
Meeting place
Parliament House, Darwin

The Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory is like the local parliament for the Northern Territory in Australia. It's where laws are made for the people living there. This Assembly has 25 members. Each member is chosen by voters in their local area. They serve for four years.

People vote using a system called full-preferential voting. This means you rank candidates in order of your preference. Elections usually happen on the fourth Saturday in August, every four years. But sometimes, an election can happen earlier if the government loses support. The last election was in 2020, and the next one is planned for August 2024.

To vote in a Legislative Assembly election, you must be 18 years old or older. Voting is also compulsory, meaning everyone who is eligible must vote. The Northern Territory Electoral Commission manages these elections. They also make sure that voting areas are fair.

Once the Legislative Assembly passes a new law, it needs to be approved. This approval comes from the Administrator of the Northern Territory. The Administrator is like the Queen's representative in the Northern Territory. After approval, the new law can officially begin.

Who is in the Legislative Assembly?

As of March 2023, here's how the 25 seats are divided:

To pass a new law, at least 13 votes are needed. This is because 13 is the majority of the 25 members.

What powers does the Legislative Assembly have?

The Legislative Assembly chamber where members meet.

In 1978, the Northern Territory gained some self-government. This means it could make many of its own laws. However, the Australian federal government still controls some areas. These include things like Aboriginal land, national parks, and uranium mining.

When members vote on a new law, most votes win. The Speaker, who leads the meetings, also gets to vote. If there's a tie, the Speaker gets an extra vote to break it.

Laws passed by the Assembly need approval from the Administrator of the Northern Territory. This is usually a formal step. The Governor-General of Australia can also reject a law, but this rarely happens. The federal government can also make laws for the Territory, even if the Assembly has already made one.

The political party with the most members in the Assembly forms the government. Their leader becomes the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory. Other senior members become ministers. They are in charge of different areas like health or education. Because parties usually vote together, most laws proposed by the government will pass.

How did the Legislative Assembly start?

When the Northern Territory became part of the Commonwealth of Australia in 1911, the federal government managed it directly. There was only a local town council in Darwin. Later, in 1927, the Territory was split into two parts. Each part had a small Advisory Council. These councils had some elected members and some appointed members.

These changes were reversed in 1931. The Northern Territory became one again. The federal government took back control until 1947. That's when the Northern Territory Legislative Council was formed. It was also half-elected and half-appointed.

The first Northern Territory Legislative Assembly in 1976.

The current Legislative Assembly was created in 1974. It was different because all its 19 members were elected by the people. At first, it didn't have much power. But in 1978, it gained more self-government. For the 1983 election, the number of members grew to 25.

From 1974 until 2001, the Country Liberal Party usually controlled the Assembly. In 2001, the Labor Party won. Clare Martin became the first Labor and first female Chief Minister. The Labor Party continued to win elections for several years.

In 2012, the Country Liberal Party won again. But their numbers changed over time as some members left the party. In 2016, the Labor Party won by a lot. Michael Gunner became the Chief Minister. The Speaker, who runs the Assembly meetings, was Kezia Purick for many years. After an investigation, she resigned in 2020. Chansey Paech then became Speaker, followed by Ngaree Ah Kit.

What is the Chan Contemporary Artspace?

The Chan Contemporary ArtSpace in Darwin in May 2015.

The Chan Contemporary Artspace is an art gallery in Darwin, Northern Territory. It's in an old government building. This building used to be home to the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly. From 2010 to 2014, it showed art from local artists.

In 2015, the government announced plans to make it bigger. It will become a second location for the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory. This new space will focus on modern art. The main museum will still show science and history.

History of the Chan Building

The Chan Building was built after World War II. Between 1990 and 1994, it was the temporary home of the Legislative Assembly. This was while the current Parliament House was being built. After that, it was used for different things. In 1999, it was updated for a big meeting called APEC 2000.

In 2010, the government decided to turn it into a modern art gallery. In 2015, they announced an $18.3 million plan. This plan includes new gallery spaces, a cafe, and shops. It will be a major art spot in Darwin.

See also

• 2020 Northern Territory general election
• Parliaments of the Australian states and territories
• Members of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly
• Northern Territory ministries
• List of museums in the Northern Territory
• List of Northern Territory by-elections