Nationals discuss establishing NT branch at party’s federal management committee meeting in Canberra

THE establishment of a Northern Territory division of the Nationals will be discussed at the party’s federal management committee meeting in Canberra today

Independents Terry Mills and Robyn Lambley have been in discussions with the Nationals about establishing a Northern Territory division

THE establishment of a Northern Territory division of the Nationals will be discussed at the party’s federal management committee meeting in Canberra today.

It’s understood the Western Australian and New South Wales divisions of the Nationals are expected to raise the prospect of establishing a branch in the Northern Territory, a move that could have major implications for the party’s 40-year association with the CLP.

It follows revelations former chief minister Terry Mills and his former deputy Robyn Lambley — who now sit as independents in the NT Parliament — had been in discussions with the Nationals about establishing a Northern Territory division.

CLP President Ron Kelly has flown to Canberra to fight off any moves to start a Territory division of the Nationals.

“I’m here to say if anyone in Western Australia or New South Wales thinks it’s a good use of time and resources when they have state and federal elections coming up, it beggars belief,” he said.

While no formal motion has been put to the meeting, Mr Kelly confirmed he expected the issue to be raised.

It’s understood Mr Mills has also flown to Canberra.

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Any move to establish a Northern Territory division of the Nationals would have serious consequences for the CLP.

If the Nationals decided to start their own NT division and end their formal association with the CLP, Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion would be forced to decide whether to join the new branch of the Nationals, or to sit with the Liberal Party in Canberra.

At present Senator Scullion — the CLP’s only representative in the Federal Parliament — sits in the Nationals party room in Canberra.

Mr Mills and Ms Lambley are also pushing to claim official opposition status in the NT Parliament, with the support of Independent Nhulunbuy MLA, Yingiya Mark Guyula.

But Mr Kelly is urging any move for the Nationals to move into the NT to be scuttled at today’s meeting.

He said “Terry and Robyn can do whatever they want”, but that he was more interested in his side of politics pulling together to capture the “anybody-but-Labor” voters.

“I would guess that at the moment the anybody-but-Labor vote would be 60-40 against Labor,” he said.

“My view is that we need to focus our attention on what is a common enemy, which is Labor.

“How many more empty shopfronts do we have to see, how many more businesses have to be forced to lay off staff just before Christmas, how many more kids have to escape from prison before we realise our prisons are not what we want them to be?” he said.