2023 Arafura by-election

2023 Arafura by-election
18 March 2023[1]
Registered5,536
Turnout58.1%
  First party Second party
 
Candidate Manuel Brown Leslie Tungatalum
Party Labor Country Liberal
Popular vote 2,038 897
Percentage 66.7% 29.4%
Swing Increase 17.7 Decrease 10.8
TPP 69.2% 30.8%
TPP Increase 15.6 Decrease 15.6
Location of Arafura in the Northern Territory
MP before election

Lawrence Costa
Labor

Elected MP

Manuel Brown
Labor

The 2023 Arafura by-election was held on Saturday, 18 March 2023 to elect the next member of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly for the electoral division of Arafura. The by-election was triggered by the death of incumbent Labor MP Lawrence Costa, who died on 17 December 2022 and had a state funeral held for him on 1 March.[2] The election was won by Labor candidate Manuel Brown. Chief Minister and NT Labor leader Natasha Fyles declared victory after two hours of counting.[3]

Background

2020 election results

2020 Northern Territory general election: Arafura[4][5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labor Lawrence Costa 1,269 49.0 +0.6
Country Liberal Gibson Illortaminni 1,041 40.2 +4.4
Independent Tristan Mungatopi 199 7.7 +3.5
Territory Alliance George Laughton 82 3.2 +3.2
Total formal votes 2,591 94.8 N/A
Informal votes 142 5.2 N/A
Turnout 2,733 52.7 N/A
Two-party-preferred result
Labor Lawrence Costa 1,388 53.6 −3.7
Country Liberal Gibson Illortaminni 1,203 46.4 +3.7
Labor hold Swing −3.7

Candidates

Party Candidate Background
  Country Liberal Leslie Tungutalum Deputy Mayor of the Tiwi Islands Regional Council. Son of former member for Tiwi Hyacinth Tungutalum.[2]
  Labor Manuel Brown Former liaison officer for Costa.[2]
  Federation Alan Middleton Party officer.[6]

Results

2023 Arafura by-election[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labor Manuel Brown 2,038 66.7 +17.7
Country Liberal Leslie Tungatalum 897 29.4 −10.7
Australian Federation Alan Middleton 120 3.9 +3.9
Total formal votes 3,055 95.1 +0.3
Informal votes 159 4.9 −0.3
Turnout 3,214 58.1 +5.4
Two-party-preferred result
Labor Manuel Brown 2,113 69.2 +15.6
Country Liberal Leslie Tungatalum 942 30.8 −15.6
Labor hold Swing +15.6

References

  1. ^ "2023 Division of Arafura by-election". 2 February 2023.
  2. ^ a b c "Territory Labor, CLP announce Tiwi Islands candidates for NT's Arafura by-election after former member's sudden death - ABC News".
  3. ^ "Labor declares victory for Manuel Brown in Arafura by-election". ABC News. 18 March 2023. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
  4. ^ "Electorate summary: Arafura". NTEC. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  5. ^ "Arafura". ABC Elections. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  6. ^ Bowles, Annabel; Haigh, Sierra (9 March 2023). "NT politics: Mobile voting teams start travelling Top End ahead of Arafura by-election". Courier-Mail. Retrieved 10 March 2023.
  7. ^ "2023 Division of Arafura by-election results". Northern Territory Electoral Commission. Retrieved 24 March 2023.