CLP preselected some wrong people, says Steve Brown

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p2064-Steve-Brown-130By ERWIN CHLANDA
 
The merciless hammering the Country Liberal Party got in the August 12 election isn’t all bad: It put beyond any doubt that reforms that should have been brought in when the party first lost power, under Chief Minister Denis Burke in 2001, now have to be tackled.
 
That’s the view of Streve Brown, long-time CLP sympathiser, some-time member, and candidate of the party for Araluen in the last election.
 
He was defeated by Independent Robyn Lambley, a former CLP politician, leaving The Centre without any Members from the party in its own birthplace.
 
Mr Brown says the main problem was a communications one: Politicians telling the party what to do, rather than the other way ‘round.
 
That in turn flowed from preselecting the wrong members, who once getting into Parliament, “went off doing their own thing”.
 
To boot, these members “were movie starts, picked for performing in media interviews, but without any or enough background experience.
 
“Their level of knowledge was almost nil.”
 
Things got even worse when the politicians brought professional minders and advisers into play. Their distance from the party was even greater, says Mr Brown.
 
“It was incestuous stuff. Some were even floating from party to party, seeking preselection, monopolising their influence.
 
“They are acting like they are not real people, certainly not from the grassroots.”
 
And that is where reform must start, he says, stressing that he’s expressing his own opinions that are not necessarily shared by all in the party.
 
But that’s a body that is splintered into a dozen branches and other groups which are beginning the reform of the CLP with their own reconstruction.
 
Most have AGMs this month – the Alice Springs branch on October 19.
 
There are no holds barred in Mr Brown’s comments: “People are saying to me, I would have liked to vote for you, Steve.
 
“But we had to get the Giles Government out.”
 
 

3 COMMENTS

  1. I know some very good people who are (or were) CLP members. Those who left (the incumbent Members for Araluen and Goyder are two fine examples) did so because of the toxic tent the party had become. Those who stayed are ironed on supporters of an ideal that lost its way.
    Bernie Kilgariff would have been so disgusted at how his party had become so dysfunctional at the hands of a few little boys who were driven by power, entitlement and the need for greed.
    Fortunately, they’re gone.
    The NT is in much better hands now with some very progressive members returned or elected into the 25 spots in the Legislative Assembly.
    Let’s get together with them to build our jurisdiction into what it clearly has the potential to be.
    We have entered a new paradigm … let’s all support them to lead well and build our communities forward. We don’t know four minutes from now let alone four years when we will all have the opportunity to judge their efforts at the ballot box.
    The first sittings of the 13th Legislative Assembly begin on October 18. We’ll be watching.

  2. All so true Steve. Yet, all too late.
    It was the Alice Springs branch that did the majority dictating and mishief making since 2012, all at the hands of the blow-in one term wonder Adam Giles.
    It’s only fitting the branch has no seats for the first time to reward their stupidity, incompetence and arrogance.
    It took two heavy losses 2001 and 2005, for the Top End braches to wake up to their ways.
    Then along came Giles. Question is, how long will it take for the Alice Springs branch?
    The end result is: The Carney / Giles / Scullion bred Alice Springs branch culture of know-all members and supporters over the years, were outright wrong and finally stopped dead in their tracks! Good luck with all.

  3. Fair comment from Steve Brown. The CLP has always been an easy target for people on the make to blow into town with getting into parliament on their mind.
    Shane Stone came up on Jeff Kennett’s advice and so did the very ambitious Adam Giles.
    I have been impressed in recent times by the thoughtful posts that Daniel Davis has made on behalf of the CLP on the Alice Springs News Online, although not lately.
    More candidates like him rather than loudmouths like Matt Conlan would serve the party, and the NT, better in the long run.

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