Northern Territory

How it all started

• The first European settlement in Northern Australia started in 1824 when what is now the Northern Territory was part of New South Wales.

• In 1863, Letters Patent made what is now the Northern Territory part of the colony of South Australia.

• From January 1911, the Northern Territory was looked after by the Commonwealth.

• The first Legislative Council of the Northern Territory was appointed in December 1947. There were 13 members. Seven were official members, mainly the heads of Commonwealth Government departments. The remaining six were elected. The head of the Legislative Council was the Administrator of the Northern Territory, who was appointed by the Commonwealth.

• In 1974 this Council was replaced by a fully elected Legislative Assembly with 19 members.

• In 1978, the Northern Territory was granted self-government by an Act of the Commonwealth Parliament, but because it is not a State, the degree of self-government is limited. The Federal Government has kept control of several areas usually run by a State Government. These include Aboriginal land, uranium mining, and industrial relations. However, the Northern Territory is regarded as a State for financial dealings between the State and Federal Governments.

• In 1982 membership of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly was increased to its current level of 25.

About Parliament

• The Northern Territory parliament has one House, which is the Legislative Assembly.

• There are currently 25 Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs), each from a single electoral division. MLAs are elected for up to four years.

• Members of the Legislative Assembly are elected using a preferential voting system.

• The Northern Territory is not a State and is represented at a Federal level by two Senators, who stay in office for up to three years. The small population of the Northern Territory means that it is represented by only one Member in the House of Representatives.

Who votes?

• Voting in Northern Territory Legislative Assembly elections is open to all citizens aged 18 years or over who are listed on the Northern Territory roll for Federal elections.

Territory Government

• The head of the Northern Territory is the Administrator, who is appointed by the Governor General. The Administrator must assent to Bills which have been passed by the Legislative Assembly before the Bill can become Northern Territory Law. The Administrator may assent to the Bill, withhold assent, or reserve the proposed law for the Governor General's decision.

• Within six months of assent of a Bill by the Administrator, the Governor General may choose to disallow all or part of it.

• The head of the Northern Territory Government is the Chief Minister.

• Northern Territory Government Ministers are appointed by the Administrator on the advice of the Chief Minister.

• The Northern Territory (Self Government) Act allows for an Executive Council made up of all of the Ministers. The role of the Executive Council is to advise the Administrator.

Local Government

• The major settlements of the Northern Territory (Darwin, Palmerston, Alice Springs, Katherine, Tennant Creek and Jabiru) have municipal councils. These councils are made up of an elected mayor (or chairman, in Jabiru) and a group of aldermen.

• The Shire of Litchfield differs from the others. It has an elected shire council made up of four councillors and a president.

• Many Aboriginal communities have a form of local government called Community Government. They elect a council that can make by-laws, charge rates, and look after their community. There are also regional land councils which deal with Aboriginal land claims.

Territory symbols

The colours of the Northern Territory are those of its flag: black, white and ochre.

	Until the Northern Territory was granted self-government on 1 July 1978, it was run by the Commonwealth Government, and used the Commonwealth Coat of Arms. The Territory was given its own Coat of Arms in 1978. This shows two red kangaroos supporting a shield which contains Aboriginal items associated with Arnhem Land. The crest is a wedge-tailed eagle.
	The Northern Territory flag was first flown in 1978. Its design uses the black, white and ochre colours found in Aboriginal painting. The flag shows the official flower of the Territory and the Southern Cross.
	The Northern Territory Parliament House was opened in August 1994. It is Australia's newest Parliamentary building. The Parliament House is located in State Square, the administrative centre of Northern Territory law and government.
	The Red Kangaroo is the Official Animal Emblem of the Northern Territory.
	The Wedge-tailed Eagle is the Official Bird Emblem of the Northern Territory.
	In 1974 Sturt's Desert Rose was made the Official Flower Emblem of the Northern Territory.

Fact file

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Northern Territory (Self government from 1978)