Re the black five comments, I could have been less clumsy in my writing. I wasn’t trying to infer they would get together, just that they should. That said, I know they won’t. Alison Anderson’s politics are incompatible with Marion Scrymgour’s. But then, so is Tony Abbott’s with Petro Georgiou. But Marion’s politics are very compatible with Malarndirri McCarthys. If McCarthy were to switch teams now, Labor would be entirely reliant on Aboriginal people to form government.

My point (not well made) was that Aboriginal people in the Territory need to form their own party. They need to flex their political muscle and take control of seats like Daly, Macdonnell, Arafura and Arnhem. Controlling, four seats is more than significant.

Adam Giles, it’s worth noting, couldn’t possibly win the seat of Braitling if he ran on an Aboriginal ticket - he could only win as an independent, and only then if he builds a strong profile this term.

However the notion of the ‘black five’ belies any real understanding of Territory Politics and (regardless of ones own personal views) the diversity of genuine and informed views already stated by the Aboriginal MPs let alone their constituencies (as well as misinformed and misdirected views as in any community in Australia). Alison Anderson for example has been of the key architects of the ‘outstation-growth town’ policy….

Indeed Scrymgour’s resignation had as much to do with caucus infighting (and leaks) as it did with these policy detail - as confirmed by her on Stateline earlier tonight.