NT: CLP mistaken on One Nation preferences - Stone

AAP General News (Australia)
08-20-2001
NT: CLP mistaken on One Nation preferences - Stone

Former chief minister SHANE STONE says the Country Liberal Party made a mistake in
allocating preferences to One Nation ahead of Labor at the Northern Territory election.

Labor has unexpectedly won 12 of the Territory's 25 seats so far, with about 30 per
cent of the vote still to be counted.

And Labor appears to be in a stronger position than the CLP to form government as counting
continues today.

Mr STONE, the Liberal Party federal president who led the CLP to a resounding victory
in 1997, says they should have put One Nation last at the weekend poll.

Mr STONE's told ABC radio he wants to make it very clear to Territorians that the Liberal
Party does not support the One Nation preferencing decision.

He says he's worked too hard among the ethnic communities of the NT to see this type
of decision taken.

Mr STONE says the nine per cent swing away from the CLP has no implications for the
federal election expected late this year.

AAP RTV rmg/rsm/rt

KEYWORD: POLLNT STONE (DARWIN)

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