Mataranka station woman to take on Warren Snowdon

By ERWIN CHLANDA 
 
The Country Liberals have picked their candidate to take on Warren Snowdon in the huge Federal seat of Lingiari – all of the Territory except Darwin.
Tina McFarlane describes herself as having a rural background, a small business owner, running a property in Mataranka.
She says she’s been in the region for 28 years, married to her husband for 20. Her daughter was born in Katherine, went to the School of the Air, and is now studying at Charles Darwin University.
Ms McFarlane has been involved with the Isolated Children’s and Parents’ Association.
In the recent NT election she traveled extensively in Arnhemland, “went to many communities”.
She had an emotional meeting after the announcement with Bess Price, the new MLA for Stuart, whom she had supported leading up to the NT poll.
The second candidate, Lawson Broad, raised in Santa Teresa and educated in St Philip’s College, now working for the Chief Minister, missed out on the nomination by the 100-odd Country Liberal Party delegates to its annual general meeting this weekend.
Another CL member with his eye on Lingiari is Leo Abbott, who inflicted serious damage on Labor when he contested the seat in the last election despite a boycott from some members and pollies in his own party.
Mr Abbott said he did not nominate this time, declined to discuss the circumstances, said standing as an independent is under consideration but would not discuss preferences.
The party has a new president, Braedon Earley, from Darwin, raised at Roper River, a former hotel owner now working as a “consultant and adviser”.
Alice CL branch president Daniel Davis is one of the party’s two vice-presidents, with Ross Connolly from Darwin the other.
Long-time CLP identity Graeme Lewis faced a challenge for the position of treasurer from Alice Springs councillor Eli Melky who missed out narrowly, it is understood.
The conference’s guest star was Federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott who thundered about the Federal Government’s management of the live export trade and the carbon tax.
Senator Nigel Scullion told the Alice Springs News Online: “The first thing we’ll do is we’ll revoke the carbon tax.
“There has been some question that in the Senate that would be difficult if Labor and the Greens vote together.
“If they do immediately we would go to a double dissolution.”
David Farley, CEO of the Australian Agricultural Company, opened the meeting by announcing they would build an abattoir in Darwin with a design capacity of 222,000 head, starting with 100,000 next year. He told the News the supply base was 385,000 head, raising the possibility of AACo building a killing works in Alice Springs as well.
VIDEO: Lawson Broad; Ms McFarlane after the announcement and in an emotional encounter with fellow Tory politician Bess Price (Member for Stuart); Mr Lewis applauding Mr Abbott and the Opposition Leader in full flight.