Nationals Senators support Federal Labor’s push to save NT seats

EVERY Nationals Senator has stood in support of Federal Labor’s push to prevent the NT from losing one of its two lower house seats, signing off on the first step to enshrine the move in law

Senators Malarndirri McCarthy, Matt Canavan, Bridget McKenzie and Dr Sam McMahon

EVERY Nationals Senator has stood in support of Federal Labor’s push to prevent the NT from losing one of its two lower house seats, signing off on the first step to enshrine the move in law.

The NT’s lower house seats of Lingiari and Solomon are under threat due to population changes.

If the Australian Electoral Commission’s planned redistribution comes to pass, the NT could end up being the nation’s single largest federal seat, spanning 1.4 million sqkm and taking in two faraway islands, unless changes instigated by Federal Labor are enshrined into law.

MORE:

Race to change law that could leave NT with one less MP after AEC redistribution plan

‘Beyond party lines’: ALP and Coalition fight to save Federal NT seats

Federal Labor has drafted a bill in a bid to prevent the NT from losing one of its seats.

Senators Malarndirri McCarthy, who was not actually in the house after being kicked out to get tested for COVID-19, and Don Farrell put forth a motion to have the bill introduced on a Thursday.

Lingiari MP Warren Snowdon, and Solomon MP Luke Gosling.

In a surprise twist, all five Nationals Senators supported the motion, signalling Federal Labor would likely have their support when the bill comes to a vote.

The Senators were Susan McDonald and Matt Canavan from Queensland, Perin Davey from NSW, Bridget McKenzie from Victoria, and NT’s Dr Sam McMahon.

At the 2019 election, Lingiari and Solomon had a combined 139,326 registered voters. In comparison, an average Federal seat is meant to have about 111,000 voters.