Electoral results for the division of Arafura
# Electoral results for the division of Arafura

This is a list of electoral results for the Electoral division of Arafura in Northern Territory elections.

## Members for Arafura

| Member | Party | Term |
| - | - | - |
| Bob Collins | Labor Party | 1983–1987 |
| Stan Tipiloura | Labor Party | 1987–1992 |
| Maurice Rioli | Labor Party | 1992–2001 |
| Marion Scrymgour | Labor Party | 2001–2009 |
| Marion Scrymgour | Independent | 2009 |
| Marion Scrymgour | Labor Party | 2009–2012 |
| Francis Xavier Kurrupuwu | Country Liberal Party | 2012–2014 |
| Francis Xavier Kurrupuwu | Independent | 2014 |
| Francis Xavier Kurrupuwu | Palmer United Party | 2014 |
| Francis Xavier Kurrupuwu | Country Liberal Party | 2014-2016 |
| Lawrence Costa | Labor Party | 2016–2022 |
| Manuel Brown | Labor Party | 2023–present |

## Election results

### Elections in the 1980s

1983 Northern Territory general election: Arafura :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Labor | Bob Collins | 930 | 50.8 | N/A |
| | Country Liberal | Robert Woodward | 582 | 31.8 | N/A |
| | Democrats | Kevin Doolan | 318 | 17.4 | N/A |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 1,830 | 95.3 | N/A |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 91 | 4.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,921 | 69.5 | N/A |
| Two-party-preferred result ||||||
| | Labor | Bob Collins | 1,129 | 61.7 | N/A |
| | Country Liberal | Robert Woodward | 701 | 38.3 | N/A |
| | Labor win | Labor win | (new seat) | (new seat) | (new seat) |

1987 Northern Territory general election: Arafura :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Labor | Stan Tipiloura | 1,211 | 63.9 | +13.1 |
| | Country Liberal | Dorothy Fox | 402 | 21.2 | -10.6 |
| | NT Nationals | Peter Watton | 281 | 14.8 | +14.8 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 1,894 | 93.5 | N/A |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 132 | 6.5 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,026 | 64.3 | N/A |
| Two-party-preferred result ||||||
| | Labor | Stan Tipiloura | 1,286 | 67.9 | +5.9 |
| | Country Liberal | Dorothy Fox | 608 | 32.1 | -5.9 |
| | Labor hold | Labor hold | Swing | +5.9 | |

### Elections in the 1990s

1990 Northern Territory general election: Arafura :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Labor | Stan Tipiloura | 1,431 | 66.5 | +2.6 |
| | Country Liberal | Barry Puruntatameri | 721 | 33.5 | +12.3 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 2,152 | 94.7 | N/A |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 121 | 5.3 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,273 | 67.8 | N/A |
| | Labor hold | Labor hold | Swing | -6.7 | |

1992 Arafura by-election :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Labor | Maurice Rioli | 1,448 | 64.0 | -2.5 |
| | Country Liberal | Bernard Tipiloura | 684 | 30.3 | -3.2 |
| | Independent | Colin Newton | 129 | 5.7 | +5.7 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 2,261 | 90.3 | N/A |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 243 | 9.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,504 | 65.3 | N/A |
| | Labor hold | Labor hold | Swing | N/A | |

* Preferences were not distributed.

1994 Northern Territory general election: Arafura :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Labor | Maurice Rioli | 1,381 | 60.8 | -5.7 |
| | Independent | Colin Newton | 540 | 23.8 | +23.8 |
| | Country Liberal | Lothar Siebert | 349 | 15.4 | -18.1 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 2,270 | 90.4 | N/A |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 240 | 9.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,510 | 67.6 | N/A |
| Two-party-preferred result ||||||
| | Labor | Maurice Rioli | 1,481 | 65.3 | -1.8 |
| | Country Liberal | Lothar Siebert | 789 | 34.7 | +1.8 |
| | Labor hold | Labor hold | Swing | -1.8 | |

* The two candidate preferred vote was not counted between the Labor and Independent candidates for Arafura.

1997 Northern Territory general election: Arafura :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Labor | Maurice Rioli | 1,552 | 59.0 | -1.7 |
| | Country Liberal | Jacob Nayinggul | 1,078 | 41.0 | +25.6 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 2,630 | 93.3 | N/A |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 188 | 6.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,818 | 66.7 | N/A |
| | Labor hold | Labor hold | Swing | -19.0 | |

### Elections in the 2000s

2001 Northern Territory general election: Arafura :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Labor | Marion Scrymgour | 1,176 | 45.6 | -13.4 |
| | Independent | John Christophersen | 650 | 25.2 | +25.2 |
| | Country Liberal | Marius Puruntatameri | 618 | 24.0 | -17.0 |
| | Independent | Dorothy Fox | 135 | 5.2 | +5.2 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 2,579 | 91.3 | N/A |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 246 | 8.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,825 | 67.1 | N/A |
| Two-party-preferred result ||||||
| | Labor | Marion Scrymgour | 1,520 | 58.9 | -0.1 |
| | Country Liberal | Marius Puruntatameri | 1,095 | 41.1 | +0.1 |
| Two-candidate-preferred result ||||||
| | Labor | Marion Scrymgour | 1,586 | 61.5 | +2.5 |
| | Independent | John Christophersen | 993 | 38.5 | +38.5 |
| | Labor hold | Labor hold | Swing | N/A | |

2005 Northern Territory general election: Arafura :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Labor | Marion Scrymgour | 1,864 | 64.2 | +18.6 |
| | Country Liberal | August Stevens | 648 | 22.3 | -1.6 |
| | Greens | George Pascoe | 392 | 13.5 | +13.5 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 2,904 | 95.1 | N/A |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 149 | 4.9 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,053 | 66.2 | N/A |
| Two-party-preferred result ||||||
| | Labor | Marion Scrymgour | 2,137 | 73.6 | +13.6 |
| | Country Liberal | August Stevens | 767 | 26.4 | -13.6 |
| | Labor hold | Labor hold | Swing | +13.6 | |

2008 Northern Territory general election: Arafura :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Labor | Marion Scrymgour | 1,300 | 46.1 | −18.0 |
| | Country Liberal | Tristan Mungatopi | 544 | 19.3 | −3.0 |
| | Independent | Jone Lotu | 487 | 17.3 | +17.3 |
| | Country Liberal | Angie Siebert | 486 | 17.3 | +17.3 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 2,817 | 94.0 | N/A |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 179 | 6.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,996 | 60.8 | N/A |
| Two-party-preferred result ||||||
| | Labor | Marion Scrymgour | 1,802 | 64.0 | −9.6 |
| | Country Liberal | Tristan Mungatopi | 1,015 | 36.0 | +9.6 |
| | Labor hold | Labor hold | Swing | −9.6 | |

### Elections in the 2010s

2012 Northern Territory general election: Arafura :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Country Liberal | Francis Maralampuwi Xavier | 1,308 | 43.1 | +6.6 |
| | Labor | Dean Rioli | 1,104 | 36.4 | −9.7 |
| | Greens | George Pascoe | 426 | 14.1 | +14.1 |
| | First Nations | Jeannie Gadambua | 194 | 6.4 | +6.4 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 3,032 | 95.3 | N/A |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 148 | 4.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,180 | 58.1 | N/A |
| Two-party-preferred result ||||||
| | Country Liberal | Francis Maralampuwi Xavier | 1,547 | 51.0 | +15.0 |
| | Labor | Dean Rioli | 1,485 | 49.0 | −15.0 |
| | Country Liberal gain from Labor | Country Liberal gain from Labor | Swing | +15.0 | |

2016 Northern Territory general election: Arafura :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Labor | Lawrence Costa | 1,087 | 46.3 | +11.7 |
| | Country Liberal | Francis Xavier Kurrupuwu | 903 | 38.4 | –5.5 |
| | 1 Territory | Jon Lotu | 284 | 12.1 | +12.1 |
| | Independent | Tristan Mungatopi | 75 | 3.2 | +3.2 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 2,349 | 98.6 | N/A |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 34 | 1.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,383 | 49.2 | N/A |
| Two-party-preferred result ||||||
| | Labor | Lawrence Costa | 1,234 | 54.7 | +7.2 |
| | Country Liberal | Francis Xavier Kurrupuwu | 1,020 | 45.3 | −7.2 |
| | Labor gain from Country Liberal | Labor gain from Country Liberal | Swing | +7.2 | |

### Elections in the 2020s

2020 Northern Territory general election: Arafura :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Labor | Lawrence Costa | 1,269 | 49.0 | +0.6 |
| | Country Liberal | Gibson Illortaminni | 1,041 | 40.2 | +4.4 |
| | Independent | Tristan Mungatopi | 199 | 7.7 | +3.5 |
| | Territory Alliance | George Laughton | 82 | 3.2 | +3.2 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 2,591 | 94.8 | N/A |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 142 | 5.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,733 | 52.7 | N/A |
| Two-party-preferred result ||||||
| | Labor | Lawrence Costa | 1,388 | 53.6 | −3.7 |
| | Country Liberal | Gibson Illortaminni | 1,203 | 46.4 | +3.7 |
| | Labor hold | Labor hold | Swing | −3.7 | |

2023 Arafura by-election :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Labor | Manuel Brown | 2,038 | 66.7 | +17.7 |
| | Country Liberal | Leslie Tungatalum | 897 | 29.4 | −10.7 |
| | Australian Federation | Alan Middleton | 120 | 3.9 | +3.9 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 3,055 | 95.1 | +0.3 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 159 | 4.9 | −0.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,214 | 58.1 | +5.4 |
| Two-party-preferred result ||||||
| | Labor | Manuel Brown | 2,113 | 69.2 | +15.6 |
| | Country Liberal | Leslie Tungatalum | 942 | 30.8 | −15.6 |
| | Labor hold | Labor hold | Swing | +15.6 | |
