Braitling – NT 2020

ALP 3.0%

Incumbent MP
Dale Wakefield, since 2016.

Geography
Alice Springs. Braitling covers the northern suburbs of Alice Springs, including Braitling, Ciccone, Eastside and parts of central Alice Springs and Sadadeen.

Redistribution
Braitling contracted to cover a smaller geographic area, losing Larapinta to Namatjira and gaining a small area at the eastern end of the seat from Araluen. These changes increased the Labor margin from 0.3% to 3.0%.

History
The electorate of Braitling has existed since 1983. Braitling has been dominated by the Country Liberal Party, with the exception of an independent who held the seat for two terms, and the current Labor MP.

The CLP’s Roger Vale won Braitling in 1983. Vale had held the seat of Stuart since 1974. He held Braitling until his retirement in 1994.

Vale was succeeded in Braitling by Loraine Braham, also of the CLP. Braham was re-elected in 1997, and then served as Speaker from 1997 to 1999, and then as a minister until 2000. She was denied CLP preselection for the 2001 election, which led to Braham winning Braitling as an independent.

Braham again served as Speaker from 2001 to 2005, and was re-elected as an independent in 2005.

Braham retired in 2008, and Braitling was won by Country Liberal candidate Adam Giles.

Giles was re-elected in 2012, and was appointed as a minister in the CLP government. He became CLP leader and chief minister in 2013 after a party room ballot.

Giles shockingly lost his seat at the 2016 election, as his government was defeated in a landslide. He lost Braitling to Labor’s Dale Wakefield, who gained a swing of almost 20% after preferences.

Candidates

• Joshua Burgoyne (Country Liberal)
• Scott McConnell (Independent)
• Dale Wakefield (Labor)
• Marli Banks (Federation)
• Kim Hopper (Independent)
• Dale McIver (Territory Alliance)
• Chris Tomlins (Greens)

Assessment
This has traditionally been a CLP seat and both the CLP and the Territory Alliance have their eye on this seat. Scott McConnell, the sitting MP for Stuart who was elected as a Labor MP but is now an independent, is also contesting this seat. This should be a complex contest.

2016 result

2016 two-party-preferred result

Booth breakdown
There are three booths in Braitling: Sadadeen, Braitling and Alice Springs.

Labor won a large majority in Sadadeen, while the CLP won large majorities in Braitling and Alice Springs. Labor won a smaller margin in pre-poll and the other votes.