Incumbent Northern Territory Government Likely to Retain Power, Amid Struggling Economy

Parliament House is lit up at dusk in State Square on October 6, 2013 in Darwin, Australia. Scott Barbour/Getty Images

Chief Minister Michael Gunner’s Labor government looks to retain power, as vote counting continues on Aug. 24 in the Northern Territory (NT) election. However, the minister will have to contend with a struggling economy and ballooning public debt in a post-pandemic environment.

The three-way race, which also includes conservative-leaning Country Liberal Party (CLP), and newcomers Territory Alliance, is the first major political contest in Australia since the COVID-19 outbreak.