Crime, law and payroll tax have been front and centre at a debate between the Northern Territory leaders as the election looms large.
A third leaders debate hosted by Sky News and the NT Chamber of Commerce was held in front of handpicked a group of businesses leaders at Darwin Convention Centre on Tuesday.
True to form, Eva Lawler came out again and said she is the "politician who hates politics".
Instead she is the person who can get "deals done" in the territory and cited Labor's $1 billion partnership with the federal government for public schools.
Opposition leader Lia Finocchiaro said the “territory is at a turning point” where it can choose to be better than it has been for the last eight years since Labor came to power.
“The territory has everything that this country needs, from our indisputable place in the nation's defence security, to our tourism, agriculture, minerals and gas, we have it all, but those opportunities are not being realised because our approvals process is too long and too hard," Ms Finocchiaro said.
“That's why we're backing in small business by raising the payroll tax free threshold for the first time in 13 years, from $1.5 million to $2.5 million."
The CLP's plan to increase payroll tax Ms Lawler said would will strip $52 million from the territory budget in the forward estimates and benefit just 14 per cent of businesses.
Territory debt has increased by almost $10 billion under Labor, and while it has a plan to return to surplus in the coming years that is dependent on major projects, like onshore and offshore fracking and the Middle Arm Industrial Precinct progressing.
Ms Finocchiaro said gaining “major project status under Labor had become a joke” and meant you were doomed to never get off the ground.
Ms Lawler who has been the infrastructure minister and NT Treasurer rejected the claims as "rude."
“If you think that...any of the government departments are doing something not to facilitate… Tamboran being able to deliver gas in the Northern Territory, you are absolutely mistaken.”
On the issues of law and order, Ms Lawler conceded her party made a mistake allowing alcohol back into remote communities following the sunset clause on the NT intervention.
“That was a terrible, terrible indictment on the territory,” she said.
“As chief minister, I won't have alcohol in town camps, but I do need to tell people just how complex that alcohol policy space is.”
Both leaders agreed to attracting more skilled workers by increasing migration and international student places.
Labor’s slogan to get “the territory working” was reiterated by Ms Lawler.
“We cannot have another generation of young Aboriginal people who are not on a pathway to work.”
Ms Lawler said the opposition’s plan to reduce crime was a “bandaid solution”.
She said reducing the age of criminal responsibility, presumptions against bail and education truancy officers were all tried and tested and “did not work”.
“Their plan is not a plan…”
Ms Lawler, who in debate two was very reserved, took a different tack calling Country Liberal Party leader Lia Finocchiaro a “lightweight,” who lacked the strength to stand up to her party’s political donors.
Last month, party donation disclosures showed the Country Liberal Party outstripped Labor in political donations taking nearly $1.2 million compared to $748,654.
“What concerns me is that I think you are a lightweight, and I don't think you are tough enough to stand up and be chief minister,” Ms Lawler said.
Ms Finnochiaro reminded territorians they have choice.
“Territorians… (have) a choice for a CLP team with the real world and government experience to rebuild the Territory, or it's a choice for more of the same,” she said.
The policy platforms could all be a little too late, with more than a third of territorians having already cast their vote.
Polls will close at 6pm on August 24.
