Mulka – NT 2020

IND 0.1% vs ALP

Incumbent MP
Yingiya Mark Guyula, Member for Nhulunbuy since 2016.

Geography
Top End. Mulka covers the north-eastern tip of Arnhem Land.

Redistribution
Mulka is a new name for the seat of Nhulunbuy, but no other change has been made.

History
The electorate of Nhulunbuy existed from the first NT assembly election in 1974 until it was renamed “Mulka” in 2020. Labor held the seat from 1980 until 2016.

The CLP’s Milton Ballantyne held Nhulunbuy from 1974 to 1980, when he lost to Labor’s Dan Leo.

Leo held Nhulunbuy until 1990, when he was succeeded by Syd Stirling. Stirling became deputy leader of Labor in 1999, and became deputy chief minister in 2001. He stepped down from his leadership roles in 2007 and retired at the 2008 election.

Labor’s Lynne Walker won Nhulunbuy in 2008, and was re-elected in 2012.

Walker was defeated by independent candidate Yingiya Mark Guyula in 2016.

Candidates

• Yingiya Mark Guyula (Independent)
• Lynne Walker (Labor)

Assessment
This seat is hard to pick. First-term independents often strengthen their hold on their seat, but Labor would be very eager to win this seat back.

2016 result

2016 two-party-preferred result

Booth breakdown
There were two booths in Nhulunbuy at the 2016 election: Nhulunbuy and Galiwin’ku. 40% of votes were cast with mobile teams in remote communities.

There was a dramatic difference in the two-candidate-preferred vote between different vote groups. Guyula won a massive 70% majority in the mobile vote, and 75% in Galiwin’ku.

Labor won even bigger majorities in Nhulunbuy (85.5%) and pre-poll (92.5%).