Malcolm Turnbull blames local issues for Northern Territory election drubbing

By James Massola, Chief Political Reporter
Updated August 28 2016 - 11:19pm, first published 1:16pm
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull shrugs off disastrous electoral result for the CLP in the Northern Territory. Photo: Daniel Munoz
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull shrugs off disastrous electoral result for the CLP in the Northern Territory. Photo: Daniel Munoz
Dumped: Outgoing Northern Territory Chief Minister Adam Giles. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen
Dumped: Outgoing Northern Territory Chief Minister Adam Giles. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen
Chief Minister-elect Michael Gunner meets the party faithful at Waratahs football club in Darwin on victory night. Photo: Glenn Campbell
Chief Minister-elect Michael Gunner meets the party faithful at Waratahs football club in Darwin on victory night. Photo: Glenn Campbell

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has blamed local issues for the Country Liberal Party's thrashing at the hands of Northern Territory Labor on Saturday in a bid to distance the federal Liberal party from the result.