After eight years in the political wilderness, the Country Liberal Party has been delivered to government with a resounding landslide victory in the northern territory election. The ABC has predicted the CLP to win fifteen seats of 25 in NT parliament, with Labor decimated to just a handful, including the loss of its former Chief Minister, Eva Lawler.
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00:00A historic embrace and a moment of change, as the Country Liberal Party ushers in a new
00:11era of territory politics.
00:14Tonight's result is a victory for hope and opportunity for every single Territorian.
00:22Born and bred Territorian and former lawyer, Leah Finocchiaro will become the Country Liberal
00:27Party's first ever female Chief Minister.
00:32As of last night, the CLP was predicted to win 15 seats in NT Parliament after running
00:38hard on a platform of stamping out crime and helping pull the Territory out of its $11
00:43billion financial hole.
00:44It's an honour and a privilege.
00:45We've heard loud and clear that Territorians want change and the work starts tomorrow to
00:46deliver that.
00:53The night saw huge swings against Labor, with the party that ruled for eight years wiped
00:58out, losing key members of its former cabinet, including Chief Minister Eva Lawler, who spoke
01:04to party faithful in a sombre concession.
01:07It wasn't the result that we wanted to see, we know that, but I think some of those votes
01:12and some of those decisions were made a long time ago.
01:15I know Territorians want to change, we've heard that loudly and clearly.
01:20Eva Lawler's political career now over.
01:22The man who replaces her as the member for Drysdale, acutely aware of the challenges
01:27that lie ahead.
01:28To me this is duty and we now have the courage and that's what I'll deliver for Drysdale.
01:35What I've promised is to bring safety to Drysdale and nothing will get in my way of doing that
01:40for the people.
01:41Labor didn't just lose votes to the CLP.
01:45The party punished for its handling of environmental issues, with big swings to the Greens, who
01:51may have claimed their first ever seat in NT Parliament, leading a close count in Fanny
01:56Bay.
01:57It shows that when you provide a positive alternative, people will change their vote
02:02and people want to see positive change when it comes to community safety.
02:06Eight years ago it seemed unthinkable that the CLP could be in this position.
02:10Cleo Finocchiaro has steered the party from two seats in 2016 to a commanding majority
02:15government with a mandate to bring down crime rates and fix the Territory's lagging economy.
02:21A new leader voted in to try and deliver change to some of Australia's toughest challenges.