1998 Australian Capital Territory election

Elections to the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly were held on Saturday, 21 February 1998. The incumbent Liberal Party, led by Kate Carnell, was challenged by the Labor Party, led by Wayne Berry. Candidates were elected to fill three multi-member electorates using a single transferable vote method, known as the Hare-Clark system. The result was another hung parliament. However the Liberals, with the largest representation in the 17-member unicameral Assembly, formed Government with the support of independents [Michael Michael Moore (Australian politician)|Moore (Australian politician)|Michael Moore], Paul Osborne, and Dave Rugendyke. Carnell was elected Chief Minister at the first sitting of the fourth Assembly on 19 March 1998.
Subsequent to the election and during the life of the fourth Assembly, on 18 October 2000, Carnell stepped down as Chief Minister and was replaced by Gary Humphries.
This would be the last time the Liberal Party would form government at a state or territory level after an election until the 2008 Western Australian state election. Also, this is the last time the Liberal Party has formed government after an election in the ACT.

Key dates

Close of party registration: 15 January 1998
Pre-election period commenced/nominations opened: 16 January 1998
Rolls closed: 23 January 1998
Nominations closed: 29 January 1998
Nominations declared/ballot paper order determined: 30 January 1998
Pre-poll voting commenced: 2 February 1998
Polling day: 21 February 1998
Poll declared: 17 March 1998

Candidates

Sitting members at the time of the election are listed in bold. Tickets that elected at least one MLA are highlighted in the relevant colour. Successful candidates are indicated by an asterisk.

Retiring Members

Greens

Lucy Horodny

Brindabella">Brindabella electorate">Brindabella

Five seats were up for election. The Labor Party was defending two seats. The Liberal Party was defending two seats. The [Paul Osborne|Paul Paul Osborne|Osborne Independent Group] was defending one seat.

Labor candidates	Liberal candidates	Greens candidates	Democrats candidates

John Hargreaves* Karen Mow Kathryn Presdee Andrew Whitecross Bill Wood*	Geoff Didier Margaret Head Trevor Kaine* Louise Littlewood Brendan Smyth*	Sue Ellerman Peter Farrelly Liz Stephens Fiona Tito	Charlie Bell Geoff Dodd Anna Grant Mark Peirce Adele Tait
Osborne candidates	CDP candidates	Ungrouped

Linda Moore Paul Osborne*	Stephen Carter Francis Piccin	Tom Cornwell (Ind) Margaret A Kobier Margot Marshall Peter Menegazzo Leonard Munday

Ginninderra">Ginninderra electorate">Ginninderra

Five seats were up for election. The Labor Party was defending two seats. The Liberal Party was defending two seats. The Greens were defending one seat.

Labor candidates	Liberal candidates	Greens candidates	Democrats candidates

Wayne Berry* Roberta McRae Joy Nicholls Chris Sant Jon Stanhope*	Terry Birtles Vicki Dunne Warwick Gow Harold Hird* Bill Stefaniak*	Jennifer Palma Shane Rattenbury Dierk Von Behrens Molly Wainwright	Alex Allars Jocelyn Bell Terry Holder Stephen Selden Peter Vandenbroek
Osborne candidates	CDP candidates	PLP candidates	Ungrouped

Hilary Back Dave Rugendyke*	John Richard Miller Ivan Young	Renee Brooks Morgan Graham	Alice Chu (Ind) Cheryl Hill Derek Hill Connie Steven Helen Szuty Manuel Xyrakis

Molonglo">Molonglo electorate">Molonglo

Seven seats were up for election. The Labor Party was defending two seats. The Liberal Party was defending three seats. The Greens were defending one seat. The Moore Independents were defending one seat.

Labor candidates	Liberal candidates	Greens candidates	Democrats candidates	Moore candidates

Simon Corbell* Chris Flaherty Steve Garth Tania McMurtry John O'Keefe Ted Quinlan* Marion Reilly	Greg Aouad Jacqui Burke Kate Carnell* Greg Cornwell* Gary Humphries* John Louttit Nick Tolley	Miko Kirschbaum Caroline Le Couteur Tiffany Lynch Roland Manderson Niki Ruker Michael Smitheram Kerrie Tucker*	John Davey Jane Errey John Kennedy Melissa McEwen Jonathan Tonge Jason Wood	Joan Kellett Michael Moore*
Osborne candidates	CDP candidates	PLP candidates	DSP candidates	Ungrouped

Chris Carlile Chris Uhlmann	Terry Craig John Edward Miller	Robin Bartrum Bora Kanra	Sue Bull Tim Gooden Nicholas Soudakoff	Pamela Ayson (Ind) Daryl Arthur Black Nick Dyer Jerzy Gray-Grzeszkiewicz Noel Habercht John Hancock Jeremy Leyland Roger Nicholls Jacqui Rees Peter Willmott

Results

M - Moore Independents

O - Osborne Independent Group