New Deputy PM Barnaby Joyce reveals plans for Darwin visit including backing Sam McMahon, spruiking agriculture visa

New Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce says he looking forward to his first trip to Darwin since his second coming to ‘say g’day’ to Territorians.

• New Nationals leader and Deputy PM Barnaby Joyce headed for Darwin to support Sam McMahon at CLP preselection

NEW Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce says he looking forward to his first trip to Darwin since his second coming to “say g’day” to Territorians.

Mr Joyce, who will be spruiking Senator Sam McMahon at the Country Liberal Party Senate preselection on Saturday, told Mix 104.9’s Katie Woolf “I’m a loyal person that sticks with my mates”.

“I get along very well with Sam,” he said.

“I think the reason the Northern Territory has two (federal) seats is because of the efforts of Sam McMahon.”

The Nationals leader said he appreciated Senator McMahon’s support on live cattle trade and the economic development of the Territory, and praised her governing style, which he described as “robust and to the point”.

Mr Joyce said the National Party supported the creation of agriculture-specific work visas, which he said could alleviate the Territory’s farming labour shortage by bringing in more foreign workers.

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“An ag-visa is going to be essential,” he said. “We’ve got to look down the path of ag-visas and realise that this is not taking Australian jobs.

“This is the reason Australians keep their jobs – because there are jobs that Australians just don’t wanna do.”

Mr Joyce said he would support zonal taxation for Northern Australia, which he has previously suggested could leave Territorians $25,000 a year better off through a tax rebate.

The father of six on Monday pointed to the Darwin area as one of three key battlegrounds in the federal election, which could be called as early as the end of this year.

Labor federal MP Luke Gosling said his seat of Solomon, like all marginal seats, would be a key consideration come election time.

“It’s an incredible privilege to work hard for Solomon and the Territory as I have done over the past five years, and I’ve never once taken it for granted,” he said.

“Darwin and Palmerston are really important, and they need a fighter with experience who can work with a government of any stripe to improve life for Territorians.”

Mr Joyce has wasted no time in his new role, tearing into the Labor Party in a raucous question time on Tuesday.

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