Stephen Hatton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Stephen Hatton
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| 3rd Chief Minister of the Northern Territory | |
| In office 15 May 1986 – 13 July 1988 |
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| Deputy | Barry Coulter (1986–1987, 1987–1988) Ray Hanrahan (1987) |
| Preceded by | Ian Tuxworth |
| Succeeded by | Marshall Perron |
| Member of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly for Nightcliff |
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| In office 3 December 1983 – 17 August 2001 |
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| Preceded by | Dawn Lawrie |
| Succeeded by | Jane Aagaard |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Stephen Paul Hatton
28 January 1948 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Political party | Country Liberal Party |
| Alma mater | University of New South Wales |
| Cabinet | Hatton Ministry |
Stephen Paul Hatton (born January 28, 1948) is an Australian politician. He served as the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory of Australia from 1986 to 1988. Before becoming Chief Minister, he was a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for the area called Nightcliff. He held this position from 1983 until he retired from politics in 2001.
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Stephen Hatton's Political Journey
Stephen Hatton began his political career in the Northern Territory. He was first elected as an MLA for Nightcliff in 1983. An MLA is like a representative for a specific area, helping to make laws and decisions for the region.
Becoming a Minister
In December 1984, Stephen Hatton became a minister in the government led by Ian Tuxworth. A minister is a senior member of the government who is in charge of a specific department or area, like health or education.
Leading the Northern Territory
Stephen Hatton became the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory on May 15, 1986. The Chief Minister is the leader of the government in the Northern Territory. He held this important role until July 13, 1988. After his time as Chief Minister, he continued to serve as an MLA for Nightcliff until 2001.
The Statehood Referendum
Stephen Hatton played a significant part in the discussion about the Northern Territory becoming a state in 1998. A state has more power and independence than a territory.
What is a Referendum?
A referendum is a special vote where all eligible citizens in a region can say 'yes' or 'no' to an important question or proposed change. In this case, the question was about the Northern Territory becoming a state.
Hatton's Role in the Debate
Stephen Hatton had worked for many years on a special committee. This committee included politicians from different parties. They had suggested a plan for a new constitution (a set of rules for how the government works) and a group of elected people to discuss it further.
However, the Chief Minister at the time, Shane Stone, proposed a different constitution. He also suggested a group that was not elected by the public to consider it. Stephen Hatton strongly disagreed with this approach. He believed that the people should have more say in how the Northern Territory became a state.
The Outcome of the Vote
The referendum for statehood did not pass. This meant the Northern Territory did not become a state at that time. Stephen Hatton was quoted saying, "One of the campaign slogans at the time was: 'we want statehood, not Stonehood'". This showed his strong feelings about the way the statehood proposal was handled.
Images for kids
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Stephen Hatton, former Chief Minister of the Northern Territory.
