Chief Minister of the Northern Territory

Chief Minister of the Northern Territory
Ministry
Territorial
Incumbent Paul Henderson
Style	The Honourable
Appointed by	Tom Pauling as Administrator of the Northern Territory
First	Goff Letts
Formation	1974

The Chief Minister of the Northern Territory is appointed by the Administrator, who in normal circumstances will appoint the head of whatever party holds the majority of seats in the legislature of the territory (in the Northern Territory, the Legislative Assembly). However, in times of constitutional crisis the Administrator can appoint someone else as Chief Minister.

In Australia, a Chief Minister is the head of government of a self-governing territory, while the head of government of a state is a Premier.

The incumbent Chief Minister of the Northern Territory is Paul Henderson, representing the Australian Labor Party since 2007.

List of Chief Ministers of the Northern Territory

	Chief Minister	Party	Period in office
	Dr Goff Letts [1]	Country Liberal	1974–1977
	Paul Everingham	Country Liberal	1977–1984
	Ian Tuxworth	Country Liberal	1984–1986
	Stephen Hatton	Country Liberal	1986–1988
	Marshall Perron	Country Liberal	1988–1995
	Shane Stone	Country Liberal	1995–1999
	Denis Burke	Country Liberal	1999–2001
	Clare Martin	Labor	2001–2007
	Paul Henderson	Labor	2007–present

References

1. ^ While the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly was created in 1974, self-government was not granted until 1978. As a result, members of the executive in the first parliament (1974–1977) and the first eighteen months of the second were known by alternative titles. While Dr Goff Letts and his successor Paul Everingham were officially known as Majority Leaders, their function was effectively the same as that of a Chief Minister from 1978.

• Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory 1974–2010 – Office Holders

See also

• List of Chief Ministers of the Northern Territory by time in office