ID :
25290
Sat, 10/18/2008 - 19:11
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/25290
The shortlink copeid
ALP may lose majority in ACT: early poll
Early counting in the ACT election indicates neither the Labor or Liberal parties
will win enough seats to govern alone and will have to rely on support from the
Greens to form government.
With 15 per cent of the vote counted, there has been an 11 per cent swing against
Labor with more than half of that going to the Greens.
Chief Minister Jon Stanhope is hoping to create history by securing a third term for
the ALP.
It appears the Liberals have failed to take advantage of voter dissatisfaction with
Labor over its decision to close more than 20 schools two years ago and push ahead
with a controversial power station in south Canberra.
After the counting of 40,000 electronic votes, Labor had 35.8 per cent of the total
vote - compared with its winning result of 46.8 per cent in the last election in
2004.
The Liberals are polling at 33 per cent, down 1.8 points from 2004, while the Greens
have 15.4 per cent, well up on the 9.3 per cent it polled at the last election.
Early numbers indicate Labor could win seven seats in the 17-seat legislative
assembly, the Liberals seven and the Greens three.
Deputy Liberal leader Brendan Smyth says the early numbers suggest the new assembly
will include seven Labor, seven Liberal and three Greens members.
"We had an objective to end Labor's majority government and it's clear we've done
that," Mr Smyth told ABC Television.
"But it is very early. It's going to be a very interesting night."
Labor deputy Katy Gallagher agrees it's likely the ALP will lose its majority.
"What we've seen from the early vote coming in is people are wanting a check and
balance on the Labor government but they're not endorsing a Liberal government," Ms
Gallagher told the ABC.
Earlier this week Mr Stanhope admitted it would be "very difficult" to replicate the
2004 election result in which Labor became the first party to govern the territory
in its own right since self-government in 1989.
"Majority government is certainly not the rule in relation to returns here in the
ACT," the chief minister said.
will win enough seats to govern alone and will have to rely on support from the
Greens to form government.
With 15 per cent of the vote counted, there has been an 11 per cent swing against
Labor with more than half of that going to the Greens.
Chief Minister Jon Stanhope is hoping to create history by securing a third term for
the ALP.
It appears the Liberals have failed to take advantage of voter dissatisfaction with
Labor over its decision to close more than 20 schools two years ago and push ahead
with a controversial power station in south Canberra.
After the counting of 40,000 electronic votes, Labor had 35.8 per cent of the total
vote - compared with its winning result of 46.8 per cent in the last election in
2004.
The Liberals are polling at 33 per cent, down 1.8 points from 2004, while the Greens
have 15.4 per cent, well up on the 9.3 per cent it polled at the last election.
Early numbers indicate Labor could win seven seats in the 17-seat legislative
assembly, the Liberals seven and the Greens three.
Deputy Liberal leader Brendan Smyth says the early numbers suggest the new assembly
will include seven Labor, seven Liberal and three Greens members.
"We had an objective to end Labor's majority government and it's clear we've done
that," Mr Smyth told ABC Television.
"But it is very early. It's going to be a very interesting night."
Labor deputy Katy Gallagher agrees it's likely the ALP will lose its majority.
"What we've seen from the early vote coming in is people are wanting a check and
balance on the Labor government but they're not endorsing a Liberal government," Ms
Gallagher told the ABC.
Earlier this week Mr Stanhope admitted it would be "very difficult" to replicate the
2004 election result in which Labor became the first party to govern the territory
in its own right since self-government in 1989.
"Majority government is certainly not the rule in relation to returns here in the
ACT," the chief minister said.
