Fong Lim – NT 2016

CLP 0.2%

Incumbent MP
Dave Tollner, since 2008. Previously federal member for Solomon 2001-2007.

Geography
Central Darwin. Fong Lim covers suburbs immediately to the north-east of the port of Darwin, including Bagot, Ludmilla, Stuart Park, Woolner and Bayview.

Redistribution
Fong Lim previously covered a large area, straddling those areas lying between central Darwin, the northern suburbs of Darwin and Palmerston. The seat covered the airport, amongst other areas. In the recent redistribution, Fong Lim contracted into central Darwin, losing most of its territory to the new seat of Spillett, which now straddles Darwin and Palmerston. A small area also was transferred to Fannie Bay. These changes cut the Country Liberal margin from 7.3% to 0.3%.

History
The electorate of Fong Lim was created in 2008, largely replacing the seat of Millner. Millner had been held by Labor from 1977 until 1994, when it was won by the Country Liberal Party’s Phil Mitchell.

Mitchell held Millner until 2001, when he was defeated by Labor’s Matthew Bonson. Bonson held Millner for two terms.

Millner was renamed Fong Lim in 2008, due to the suburb of Millner being removed from the seat. In 2008, Bonson was defeated by CLP candidate Dave Tollner, who had previously served two terms as federal MP for Solomon before losing in 2007.

Tollner has held Fong Lim for two terms. Tollner was appointed as a minister after the CLP won the 2012 election, and served as deputy chief minister from 2013 to 2014.

Candidates
Sitting Country Liberal MP Dave Tollner is not running for re-election, after an unsuccessful bid for preselection for the new seat of Spillett.

• Jeff Collins (Labor)
• Sue Fraser-Adams (1 Territory)
• Ilana Eldridge (Independent)
• Tim Dixon (Country Liberal)

Assessment
Fong Lim is an extremely marginal electorate, and has shifted significantly into a different part of Darwin. Incumbency is a big factor in Northern Territory elections, and the lack of a personal vote will make it harder for the CLP to hold on.

2012 result

2012 two-party-preferred result

Booth breakdown
There are three booths contained in the current boundaries of Fong Lim. Ludmilla and Bayview booths were already contained in Fong Lim, and Stuart Park was transferred from Fannie Bay.

The Country Liberal Party polled a large majority of the two-party-preferred vote in the smallest booth of Bayview. Labor won 54% in Ludmilla and 57.5% in Stuart Park. The CLP did much better on pre-poll votes and other votes.