Analysts focus on Darwin and Alice Springs, but Katherine remains a key battleground in upcoming election

ABC NEWS (Australia)

With analysts forecasting potential swings to the Country Liberals this weekend and the focus primarily on Darwin and Alice Springs, the seat of Katherine has received less attention. Local member and shadow education minister Jo Hersey is running for re-election, but challengers argue that the marginal CLP seat is still in play. A three-horse race and low voter turnout add to the uncertainty of the outcome. James Elton reports.

Transcript

00:00Just across the road from the pre-poll station.

00:05There's about half a dozen cars here that have been smashed.

00:10A reminder of why crime is the number one issue for many Catherine voters.

00:14Nothing's being done.

00:16It's definitely something that is a worry of mine.

00:18No one would be surprised that crime and antisocial behaviour

00:21is the number one thing that people are talking to me about.

00:24Local Member and Shadow Education Minister Jo Hersey

00:27will play a senior role in Cabinet

00:29if her country Liberals win government this weekend.

00:32But she is not jumping the gun.

00:34I never take Catherine for granted.

00:36Labor's candidate Nick Lovering

00:38is the principal of Catherine's public high school.

00:40We've shown at Catherine High

00:42that young people can make better choices when given the opportunity.

00:47Catherine has traditionally been country Liberal heartland.

00:50They've held it for all but one election cycle in the seat's history.

00:54But Jo Hersey holds the seat on a relatively thin 2.5 per cent margin.

00:59And only 70 per cent of enrolled voters

01:02actually cast a ballot here at the last election,

01:04making the result more difficult to predict.

01:07We have a tight race here.

01:10New independent candidate Sam Phelan, a vet and environmental activist,

01:14has a sizeable army of volunteers.

01:17She's campaigning on protecting water and against fracking.

01:20People are absolutely walking a knife edge every night in their houses.

01:25So what do you prioritise?

01:27You prioritise personal safety. Of course you do.

01:30And that does put water as a background issue.

01:33But still a very, very clear issue when you unpack it with people.

01:38Some residents have more immediate concerns,

01:40like Catherine's shocking rates of homelessness

01:43and long waits for public housing.

01:45They tell us we've got to wait for nine years.

01:49It's too long.

01:50They say this and say that and nothing gets done.

01:53Especially in Catherine.

01:55A major anti-town often overlooked.

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