Northern Territory Chief Ministers Multiple Terms Since 1978

Victor P Taffa

Northern Territory was established in 1911 following its annexation from South Australia on 1 January 1911.

Originally Northern Territory was a part of New South Wales.

People who have held the office of Chief Minister of The Northern Territory since 1978 is as follows:

Chief Minister           Party                           Term Of Office                                  Total Time In Office

Paul Everingham Total Time In Office 2,621 Days

Paul Everingham         Country Liberal           1 July 1978-15 Oct. 1984                   (2,621 Days)

Marshall Perron           Country Liberal           13 July 1988-24 May 1995                 (2,507 Days)

Clare Martin                Labor                           18 Aug. 2001-26 Nov. 2007               (2,290 Days)

Paul Henderson           Labor                           26 Nov. 2007-28 Aug. 2012               (1,739 Days)

Adam Giles                 Country Liberal           14 Mar. 2013-30 Aug. 2016               (1,670 Days)

Shane Stone                Country Liberal           25 May 1995-7 Feb. 1999                   (1,355 Days)

Goff Letts                   Country Liberal           19 Oct. 1974-12 Aug. 1977                (1,029 Days)

Denis Burke                Country Liberal           8 Feb. 1999-17 Aug. 2001                  (922 Days)

Stephen Hatton           Country Liberal           14 May 1986-12 July 1988                 (791 Days)

Ian Tuxworth              Country Liberal           16 Oct. 1984-13 May 1986                 (575 Days)

Terry Mills                   Country Liberal           29 Aug. 2012-13 Mar. 2013               (197 Days)

Michael Gunner          Labor                           31 Aug. 2016-Present

All Incumbent Chief Ministers are listed at the bottom so that time served of the presently serving Chief Minister does not provide an incorrect listing of all dates served for each Chief Minister. This list will be updated when a new Chief Minister has been elected.

When The Northern Territory gains Statehood within existing boundaries this list will be updated with the first State Premier who has been elected.

Since foundation of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly in 1974 until the granting of self-government in 1978, the head of government was known as the Majority Leader:

Majority Leader        Party                           Term Of Office                                  Total Time In Office

Paul Everingham Total Time In Office 2,621 Days

Paul Everingham         Country Liberal           13 Aug. 1977-30 June 1978                (2,621 Days)

Goff Letts                   Country Liberal           19 Oct. 1974-12 Aug. 1977                (1,029 Days)

Legislative Council:

Northern Territory Legislative Council was the partly elected governing body of the Northern Territory of Australia from 1947 until its replacement by the fully elected Northern Territory Legislative Assembly in 1974.

Northern Territory 1911-1947

Northern Territory was transferred to South Australia in 1862 and annexed from South Australia in 1911. The Northern Territory was dissolved in 1927 and reformed in 1931.

 

Statehood

In July 2015 Statehood for Territorians moved a step closer following an Australian Leaders’ Retreat in Sydney.

The Prime Minister, together with state and territory leaders, supported the Northern Territory’s resolve to become a state by 1 July 2018.

Cyclone Tracy

On Christmas Day, 1974 at around 3:30 a.m., Cyclone Tracy’s centre crossed the coast near Fannie Bay. The highest recorded wind gust from the cyclone was 217 km/h (135 m/h), which was recorded around 3:05 a.m. at Darwin Airport. The anemometer (wind speed instrument) failed at around 3:10 a.m., with the wind vane (wind direction) destroyed after the cyclone’s eye.

Bureau of Meteorology’s official estimates suggested that Cyclone Tracy’s gusts had reached 240 km/h (150 m/h).

All Electricity, water and sewerage in Darwin had been cut as a result of the devastation caused by Cyclone Tracy.

On Christmas Day, Darwin Hospital treated over 500 patients. However the first casualties did not arrive until 7.00 a.m., due to high winds and debris that was strewn on every road and street.

Most of Darwin’s population was evacuated and within the first two days 10,000 people went to Adelaide, Alice Springs, Whyalla and Sydney.

Although a Legislative Assembly had been established earlier in the year, the Northern Territory had only minimal self-government, with a federal minister being responsible for the Territory from Canberra that is still the same situation today.

However, the cyclone and subsequent responses highlighted several problems with the way the territory government was set up. This led to the Government of Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser, granting self-government to the Territory in 1978.

Northern Territory as a duly constituted State of Australia within existing boundaries will ensure that the area goes forward with an elected State Premier and State Parliament legislating for its residents.

Given the chequered history of its control Statehood for The Northern Territory provides certainty and greater economic benefits.

Both Northern Territory Labor and Country Liberal Party now agree on Statehood for The Northern Territory within existing boundaries.