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54-666: The 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. Prior to 1947, there had been several attempts by sections of the Northern Territory population to introduce a self-governing body for the region. In 1943, the Minister for External Affairs , HV Evatt (who at that time had responsibility for
108-476: A Territorian's vote for a senator would have been worth more than 30 such votes in New South Wales or Victoria ). Alongside what was cited as an arrogant approach adopted by then chief minister Shane Stone , it is believed that most Territorians, regardless of their general views on statehood, were reluctant to adopt the particular offer that was made. The chief minister is the head of government of
162-489: A joint committee of parliament to consider the establishment of a Legislative Assembly in the Northern Territory and as a response, the Legislative Council was abolished to make way for a fully elected Legislative Assembly, which held its first election in 1974 . Northern Territory The Northern Territory (abbreviated as NT ; known formally as the Northern Territory of Australia and informally as
216-533: A port masterplan prepared. Extension of rail transport was then not considered because of low freight volumes. Indigenous Australians had struggled for rights to fair wages and land. An important event in this struggle was the strike and walk off by the Gurindji people at Wave Hill Cattle Station in 1966. The Northern Territory Council for Aboriginal Rights (NTCAR) supported the strikers and provided publicity. The Federal government of Gough Whitlam set up
270-503: A promise from the federal government of a new structure encompassing eight elected members, six government appointees and three nominees to be drawn from outside the public service. In 1962, indigenous people first gained the franchise to vote in Territory elections, although none sat on Council throughout its existence. Previous to this, the only non-white people eligible to vote were Māori . The first Indigenous candidate to stand for
324-474: A role similar to that of a state governor . Twenty-five members of the Legislative Assembly are elected to four-year terms from single-member electorates . Numerous times since self government was granted there has been agitation for full statehood within the region. A referendum of voters in the Northern Territory was held on the issue in 1998, which resulted in a 'no' vote. This was
378-699: A self-governing territory (the head of a state government is a premier ). The chief minister is appointed by the administrator , who in normal circumstances appoints the leader of whichever party holds the majority of seats in the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly. The current chief minister is Lia Finocchiaro of the Country Liberal Party . The CLP defeated Territory Labor to win office on 24 August 2024. The Northern Territory became self-governing on 1 July 1978 under its own administrator appointed by
432-503: A shock to both the Northern Territory and Commonwealth governments, as opinion polls showed most Territorians supported statehood. But under the Australian Constitution, the federal government may set the terms of entry to full statehood. The Northern Territory was offered three senators, rather than the twelve guaranteed to original states (because of the difference in populations, equal numbers of Senate seats would mean
486-479: Is associated with tropical cyclones and monsoon rains. The majority of rainfall occurs between December and March (the southern hemisphere summer), when thunderstorms are common and afternoon relative humidity averages over 70% during the wettest months. On average more than 1,570 mm (62 in) of rain falls in the north. Rainfall is highest in north-west coastal areas, where rainfall averages from 1,800 to 2,100 mm (71 to 83 in). The central region
540-488: Is based largely on mining and petroleum, which during 2018–2019 contributed 23% of the gross state product , or $ 5.68 billion, accounting for 92.4% of exports. The Territory's population is concentrated in coastal regions and along the Stuart Highway . Besides the capital of Darwin, the major settlements are (in order of size) Palmerston , Alice Springs , Katherine , Nhulunbuy and Tennant Creek . Residents of
594-777: Is represented in the federal parliament by two members in the House of Representatives and two members in the Senate. As of May 2022, resulting from the 2022 federal election , Marion Scrymgour from the Australian Labor Party (ALP) in Lingiari and Luke Gosling from the Australian Labor Party (ALP) in Solomon serve in the House of Representatives, and Malarndirri McCarthy from the ALP and Jacinta Nampijinpa Price from
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#1732765839656648-432: Is the desert centre of the country, which includes Alice Springs and Uluru (Ayers Rock), and is semi-arid with little rain usually falling during the hottest months from October to March. Seasons are more distinct in central Australia, with very hot summers and cool winters. Frost is recorded a few times a year. The region receives less than 250 mm (9.8 in) of rain per year. The highest temperature recorded in
702-478: Is the capital city of Darwin , having about 52.6% of the Territory's population. The largest inland settlement is Alice Springs with a population of about 25,000 people. The archaeological history of the Northern Territory may have begun more than 60,000 years ago when humans first settled this region of the Sahul Continent. From at least the 18th century, Makassan traders began a relationship with
756-455: The Country Liberal Party serve in the Senate. The Northern Territory is divided into seventeen local government areas : two cities, three municipalities, nine regions, and three shires. Shire, city and town councils are responsible for functions delegated by the Northern Territory parliament, such as road infrastructure and waste management. Council revenue comes mostly from property taxes and government grants. Aboriginal land councils in
810-615: The Governor-General of Australia . The federal government, not the NT government, advises the governor-general on the appointment of the administrator, but by convention consults first with the Territory government. The current administrator is Hugh Heggie who commenced his three-year term on 31 January 2023; he had previously served as the Northern Territory’s Chief Health Officer . The Northern Territory
864-629: The Gulf of Carpentaria , including Western New Guinea and various other islands of the Indonesian archipelago. The NT covers 1,347,791 square kilometres (520,385 sq mi), making it the third-largest Australian federal division, and the 11th-largest country subdivision in the world . It is sparsely populated, with a population of only 249,000 as of December 2021 – fewer than half as many people as in Tasmania . The largest population centre
918-702: The North Pole across the Arctic Ocean , Asia , Australia , the Indian Ocean , the Southern Ocean , and Antarctica to the South Pole . The 129th meridian east forms a great circle with the 51st meridian west . In Australia , the meridian nominally defines the eastern border of Western Australia , and the western borders of the Northern Territory and South Australia . However,
972-700: The Northern Territory Legislative Council . It also produces the Northern Territory of Australia Government Gazette . The Northern Territory Legislative Council was the partly elected governing body from 1947 until its replacement by the fully elected Northern Territory Legislative Assembly in 1974. The total enrolment for the 1947 election was 4,443. The Northern Territory was split into five electorates: Darwin, Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, Batchelor, and Stuart. While this assembly exercises powers similar to those of
1026-524: The Port of Darwin was the major Territory supply for many decades. A railway was built between Palmerston and Pine Creek between 1883 and 1889 as part of the North Australia Railway . The economic pattern of cattle raising and mining was established so that by 1911 there were 513,000 cattle. Victoria River Downs Station , 686 kilometres (426 mi) west of Darwin, was at one time
1080-530: The Stuart Highway , known to locals simply as "the track". The Territory is home to many spectacular natural rock formations, including Uluru / Ayers Rock and Kata Tjuta / The Olgas in the Central Australian region and Kakadu National Park in the north. Each of these sites are sacred to the local Aboriginal people and which have become major International tourist attractions and recognised UNESCO World Heritage sites . The northern portion of
1134-456: The " Unpromised Land ". During the early 20th century, the southern part of the Territory was considered the "last frontier" of Australian settlement, where 'sympathetic whites' hoped that Aboriginal traditions would continue to be practised. Conflicts arose due to the resource scarcity and the fragility of the cattle industry and the area was rife with Indigenous 'bush bandits' who speared cattle for food for want of employment by ranchers. This
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#17327658396561188-521: The 1942 Japanese air raids. It was subsequently restored. In the late 1960s improved roads in adjoining States linking with the territory, port delays and rapid economic development led to uncertainty in port and regional infrastructure development. As a result of the Commission of Enquiry established by the Administrator, port working arrangements were changed, berth investment deferred and
1242-455: The 47,000 inhabitants of the city homeless. The city was rebuilt with much-improved construction codes and is a modern, landscaped metropolis today. In 1978 the Territory was granted Self Government with a Legislative Assembly headed by a Chief Minister . The Administrator of the Northern Territory is another important position in the government and they act as the King's representative in
1296-741: The Country Party. The longest-serving member of the Northern Territory Legislative Council was Harry C. Giese from 1954 to 1973. Legislative Council members continued to oppose the federal government's reluctance to grant them more power. The Government believed that the Northern Territory needed to be self-supporting before greater powers could be given. This stand-off led to the elected members resigning their seats en masse in protest in April 1958. They were all re-elected at subsequent by-elections, leading to
1350-596: The Indigenous peoples. There is significant evidence of contact with Makassan fishers in examples of Indigenous Australian rock art and bark painting of northern Australia, with the Makassan perahu a prominent feature. With the coming of the British, there were four early attempts to settle the harsh environment of the northern coast, of which three failed in starvation and despair. The land now occupied by
1404-607: The Legislative Council was George Winunduj, who stood unsuccessfully for the Arnhem constituency in 1968. Further reforms were made in 1965, when the Administrator was replaced by an elected Council President, and in 1968 when the three non-government nominees were replaced by 3 further elected members. However, the Commonwealth still held the right of veto. In 1973, the Gough Whitlam led federal Labor government formed
1458-820: The NT include the Northern Territory Greens , the Shooters and Fishers Party and various others. It is common for independent politicians to win elections. The CLP's rule was once so tight, that a former minister once said the CLP had a "'rightful inheritance of being the party that runs this place'". The Northern Territory is the only branch of the Australian Greens to have never had any parliamentary representation as of 2024. As fewer parties and candidates contest Northern Territory general elections than they do Australian federal elections in
1512-523: The Northern Territory , who held both deliberative and casting votes. The council could "make Ordinances for the peace, order and good government of the Territory" but could be vetoed by the federal government and had no authority over money matters. The total enrolment for the 1947 election was 4443, all of whom were white. The Territory was split into five electorates: Darwin, Alice Springs, Tennant Creek , Batchelor and Stuart (see Table for further information). There were redistributions in 1959 (increasing
1566-555: The Northern Territory are groups of Aboriginal landowners, set up under the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1976 . The two historically dominant political parties in the Northern Territory are the conservative Country Liberal Party which governed the Territory from 1974 to 2001, from 2012 to 2016 and Since 2024, and the social-democratic Australian Labor Party which governed the Territory from 2001 to 2012 and from 2016 to 2024. Minor parties that are also active in
1620-556: The Northern Territory are often known as "Territorians". Humans have lived in the present area of the Northern Territory since at least 48,400 to 68,700 years ago. From the 17th or 18th century CE onwards, traders from Sulawesi established extensive seasonal trade links with the Indigenous peoples of Kimberley region , the modern-day Northern Territory, and Arnhem Land . They collected trepang ( sea cucumber ) for Chinese markets and introduced several goods and technologies to
1674-528: The Northern Territory was briefly one of the few places in the world with legal voluntary euthanasia , until the Federal Parliament overturned the legislation . Before the over-riding legislation was enacted, four people used the law supported by Dr Philip Nitschke . There are many very small settlements scattered across the Territory, but the larger population centres are located on the single paved road that links Darwin to southern Australia,
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1728-480: The Northern Territory was part of colonial New South Wales from 1825 to 1863, except for a brief time from February to December 1846, when it was part of the short-lived colony of North Australia . The Northern Territory was part of South Australia from 1863 to 1911 and, under their administration the Overland Telegraph Line was constructed between 1870 and 1872. From its establishment in 1869
1782-605: The Northern Territory) recommended the foundation of a Legislative Council, arguing that Northern Territorians should have the same self-governing rights as those living in Australian administered New Guinea . In 1947, Prime Minister Ben Chifley government created a 13-member Legislative Council consisting of six elected members and seven nominated by the federal government, including the Administrator of
1836-453: The Northern Territory, the CLP, Labor and independents usually have a higher vote share at territory elections than at federal elections in the Northern Territory due to the absence of right-wing minor parties such as Pauline Hanson's One Nation and the fact that the Greens do not run in every seat at territory elections. The population of the Northern Territory at the 2011 Australian census
1890-533: The Territory ) is an Australian internal territory in the central and central-northern regions of Australia . The Northern Territory shares its borders with Western Australia to the west ( 129th meridian east ), South Australia to the south ( 26th parallel south ), and Queensland to the east ( 138th meridian east ). To the north, the Northern Territory looks out to the Timor Sea , the Arafura Sea and
1944-562: The Territory and a part of their role is appointing the Chief Minister. The Territory also publishes official notices in its own Government Gazette . In the 1980s, conservation-oriented areas in the Northern Territory such as Kakadu National Park and Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List for their mix of natural heritage and Aboriginal culture. During 1995–96
1998-556: The Territory is principally tropical savannas , composed of several distinct ecoregions – Arnhem Land tropical savanna , Carpentaria tropical savanna , Kimberley tropical savanna , Victoria Plains tropical savanna , and Mitchell Grass Downs . The southern portion of the Territory is covered in deserts and xeric shrublands , including the Great Sandy-Tanami desert , Simpson Desert , and Central Ranges xeric scrub . There are also an extensive series of river systems in
2052-583: The Territory. These rivers include: the Alligator Rivers , Daly River , Finke River , McArthur River , Roper River , Todd River and Victoria River . The Hay River is a river south-west of Alice Springs, with the Marshall River, Arthur Creek, Camel Creek and Bore Creek flowing into it. The Northern Territory has two distinctive climate zones. The northern end, including Darwin, has a tropical climate with high humidity and two seasons,
2106-663: The Woodward Royal Commission in February 1973, to enquire into how land rights might be achieved in the Northern Territory. Justice Woodward 's first report in July 1973 recommended that a Central Land Council and a Northern Land Council be established to present to him the views of Aboriginal people. A Land Rights Bill was drafted, and the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976
2160-708: The average non-Indigenous Australian. There are Aboriginal communities in many parts of the territory, the largest ones being the Pitjantjatjara near Uluru / Ayers Rock , the Arrernte near Alice Springs, the Luritja between those two, the Warlpiri further north, and the Yolngu in eastern Arnhem Land . 129th meridian east The meridian 129° east of Greenwich is a line of longitude that extends from
2214-430: The indigenous people of the Northern Territory around the trading of trepang . The coast of the Territory was first seen by Europeans in the 17th century. The British were the first Europeans to attempt to settle the coastal regions. After three failed attempts to establish a settlement (1824–1828, 1838–1849, and 1864–1866), success was achieved in 1869 with the establishment of a settlement at Port Darwin . The economy
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2268-503: The largest cattle station in the world. Gold was found at Grove Hill in 1872 and at Pine Creek (in 1871), Brocks Creek, Burundi, and copper was found at Daly River . On 1 January 1911, a decade after Federation , the Northern Territory was separated from South Australia, alongside the Australian Capital Territory from NSW, and transferred to federal control. Alfred Deakin opined at this time "[t]o me
2322-545: The murder of a dingo hunter, resulting in the deaths of dozens to hundreds of people of the Warlpiri , Anmatyerre , and Kaytetye groups. This was one of many massacres of Aboriginal people in the region. For more information see: List of massacres of Indigenous Australians . During World War II, most of the Top End was placed under military government. This is the only time since Federation that part of an Australian state or territory has been under military control. After
2376-649: The number of electorates to eight), 1962, 1965 and 1968 (eleven electorates). Every candidate at the 1947 election was an independent and it was not until the 1951 election that the Country Party became the first political party to field a candidate. Later the Labor Party ran candidates and usually returned between two and four members at each election, while the North Australia Party formed in 1965 and elected Tony Greatorex, who then joined
2430-578: The parliaments of the states of Australia, it does so by legislated devolution of powers from the Commonwealth Government , rather than by any constitutional right. As such, the Commonwealth Government retains the right to legislate for the territory, including the power to override legislation passed by the Legislative Assembly. The Monarch is represented by the Administrator of the Northern Territory , who performs
2484-487: The preferred choice in 1913. However, the name change never went ahead. For a brief time between 1927 and 1931 the Northern Territory was divided into North Australia and Central Australia at the 20th parallel of South latitude . Soon after this time, parts of the Northern Territory were considered in the Kimberley Plan as a possible site for the establishment of a Jewish Homeland , understandably considered
2538-454: The question has been not so much commercial as national, first, second, third and last. Either we must accomplish the peopling of the northern territory or submit to its transfer to some other nation." In late 1912 there was growing sentiment that the name "Northern Territory" was unsatisfactory. The names "Kingsland" (after King George V and to correspond with Queensland ), "Centralia" and "Territoria" were proposed with Kingsland becoming
2592-560: The smallest proportion (5.7%) aged 65 and over. The median age of residents of the Northern Territory is 31 years, six years younger than the national median age. Indigenous Australians make up 30.3% of population and own some 49% of the land. The life expectancy of Aboriginal Australians is well below that of non-Indigenous Australians in the Northern Territory, a fact that is mirrored elsewhere in Australia. ABS statistics suggest that Indigenous Australians die about 11 years earlier than
2646-566: The territory was 48.3 °C (118.9 °F) at Finke on 1 and 2 January 1960. The lowest temperature was −7.5 °C (18.5 °F) at Alice Springs on 17 July 1976. The Northern Territory Parliament is one of the three unicameral parliaments in the country. Based on the Westminster System , it consists of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly which was created in 1974, replacing
2700-464: The war, control for the entire area was handed back to the Commonwealth. The Bombing of Darwin occurred on 19 February 1942. It was the largest single attack ever mounted by a foreign power on Australia. Evidence of Darwin's World War II history is found at a variety of preserved sites in and around the city, including ammunition bunkers, airstrips, oil tunnels and museums. The port was damaged in
2754-409: The wet (October to April) and dry season (May to September). During the dry season nearly every day is warm and sunny, and afternoon humidity averages around 30%. There is very little rainfall between May and September. In the coolest months of June and July, the daily minimum temperature may dip as low as 14 °C (57 °F), but very rarely lower, and frost has never been recorded. The wet season
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#17327658396562808-418: Was 211,945, a 10 per cent increase from the 2006 census. The Australian Bureau of Statistics estimated a June 2015 resident population of 244,300, taking into account residents overseas or interstate. The territory's population represents 1% of the total population of Australia. The Northern Territory's population is the youngest in Australia and has the largest proportion (23.2%) under 15 years of age and
2862-682: Was exacerbated by a drought between 1925 and 1929 that led to the deaths of 85 per cent of the children at the Hermannsburg Mission in Central Australia. In the meantime, white attitudes towards Aboriginal people were paternalistic, torn between the desire to help them in times of hunger and the fear of "pauperizing" them and reducing their incentives to work. In the 1928 Coniston massacre , punitive expeditions were carried out by white colonists led by Northern Territory Police constable William George Murray in response to
2916-566: Was passed by the Fraser government on 16 December 1976 and began operation on 26 January 1977). The Northern Territory Council for Aboriginal Rights was disestablished in 1976. In 1974, from Christmas Eve to Christmas Day, Darwin was devastated by tropical Cyclone Tracy . Cyclone Tracy killed 71 people, caused A$ 837 million in damage (approximately A$ 6.85 billion as of 2018 ) and destroyed more than 70 per cent of Darwin's buildings, including 80 per cent of houses. Tracy left more than 41,000 out of
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