Nelson – NT 2016

IND 9.2%

Incumbent MP
Gerry Wood, since 2001.

Geography
North-eastern fringe of Darwin. Nelson covers rural areas on the outskirts of both Darwin and Palmerston.

Redistribution
Nelson maintained all of its existing territory, and expanded on its south-eastern boundary, gaining some more area from Goyder.

History
The electorate of Nelson has existed since 1990, and has been held by independent MPs for all but four years since then.

Noel Padgham-Purich won Nelson in 1990. She had sat in the assembly since 1977, representing Tiwi until 1983 and Koolpinyah from 1983 to 1990. Padgham-Purich was initially a member of the CLP, serving as a minister from 1983 to 1984. She lost preselection for Koolpinyah in 1987, and was re-elected as an independent.

Padgham-Purich held Nelson as an independent until her retirement in 1997.

Nelson was won in 1997 by the CLP’s Chris Lugg, who saw off a challenge from Padgham-Purich’s chosen independent successor Dave Tollner. Tollner went on to serve as member for Solomon in the federal Parliament from 2001 to 2007 and as member for Fong Lim in the NT Parliament from 2008 to 2016.

Lugg only held Nelson for one term, losing in 2001 to independent candidate Gerry Wood. Wood has held Nelson ever since, winning re-election in 2005, 2008 and 2012.

Candidates

• Brigid McCullough (Citizens Electoral Council)
• Gerry Wood (Independent)
• Kirsty Hunt (Labor)
• Marty Reinhold (Shooters and Fishers)
• Gerard Maley (Country Liberal)

Assessment
Gerry Wood shouldn’t have any trouble retaining Nelson.

2012 result

2012 two-party-preferred result

Booth breakdown
There are three booths in Nelson: Berrimah, Girraween and Howard Springs. Howard Springs is by far the largest booth in the seat. Independent Gerry Wood polled 65-67% in Girraween and Howard Springs. The CLP polled almost 60% in Berrimah.

Wood narrowly won the two-candidate-preferred vote in the pre-poll and the CLP easily won the other votes.

There are a small number of votes included from Goyder, which slightly reduces Gerry Wood’s two-candidate-preferred vote in the pre-poll and other votes, but these votes do not make a significant difference.