from politicoz …. 

On the weekend, Northern Territorians voted out the ALP government, replacing it with Terry Mills' Country Liberal Party. This was the fourth successive state or territory election in which a Labor government has been ousted.

Is this a reflection on the national 'Labor brand'? No doubt it had an impact. But the notable aspect of this result was that the swing in NT emerged from the bush, rather than the capital. It was indigenous voters that swung behind the CLP in unprecedented numbers.

This was not an anti-Intervention vote, however. Several successful indigenous (CLP) candidates were pro-Intervention. It was simply a kicking administered to a government that in 10 years failed to improve the lives of its most disadvantaged citizens.

The 7% swing was not a total catastrophe, unlike the recent QLD and NSW state elections. It was merely a landslide, same as the federal Labor government is now facing, according to today's Nielsen poll.

More than a decade of progressive policies have been rejected by Australia's first people, with Aborigines taking the lead in sweeping the Northern Territory Labor government from office to take control for themselves. The dramatic shift in the Top End's political landscape will see decision-making power handed back to local indigenous people, including through a strong presence in parliament and regular, full-cabinet meetings held four times a year with panels of traditional leaders.

Some of the aggravation has drained out of the two most vexing issues in national politics, and the Gillard government is benefiting. Benefiting, but not winning … In other words, as Nielsen's John Stirton puts it, 'the result for Labor has gone from being catastrophic to standard, garden-variety landslide'. An election today would see Labor suffer a defeat of about the same magnitude as the Keating government suffered at the hands of John Howard in 1996.