Luke Gosling holds Solomon in major swing towards Labor

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Returned for a third term, Luke Gosling will represent Darwin and Palmerston for the first time in government rather than opposition. See what he’ll do next.

LUKE Gosling will push to become either North Australia Minister or a deputy to the Foreign Minister Penny Wong, after Labor’s historic election victory on Saturday night.

Speaking to the NT News on Sunday from his leafy Ludmilla home, with wife Kate and kids Frankie and Sally by his side, Mr Gosling said local residents had “invested in him” and he hoped to give them a return on it.

Despite the size of his victory over the CLP in Solomon, he insisted his seat was not “safe” for Labor.

The Australian Electoral Commission on Sunday tallied that Mr Gosling has received 59.4 per cent of the two-party preferred vote.

The long-time Darwin resident, who fell in love with the Top End during a family roadtrip in the 1980s, said he had talked to Anthony Albanese about his ambition to take up certain roles within the government prior to Saturday.

Federal Member for Solomon Luke Gosling with wife Kate and kids Frankie and Sally in suburban Darwin. Picture: Glenn Campbell

“Minister Assisting for the Indo Pacific? That’s not actually a job title – that’s just something I’m making up for myself,” he said, flagging he wanted to work with Ms Wong, given Darwin’s location close to South East Asia.

“Northern Australia (portfolio), I think would allow me to get really involved in economic development, as well as social development, as well as defence, national security.”

Among the reasons Mr Gosling gives for why he might enter into an Albanese ministry is his impressive victory in Solomon.

“It will also give Albo and our senior people the confidence that … I have good support from the community,” he said.

Luke Gosling speaking at his election victory party in Darwin on Saturday night. Picture: Glenn Campbell

“We have had in the past with Nigel Scullion a cabinet minister from the Territory.

“I don’t think we should undersell ourselves and our importance.” When asked whether Labor could deliver on all of the promises made to Darwin and Palmerston residents through the campaign, Mr Gosling said work would start immediately.

“I can’t promise things and then just drop the ball,” he said.

He added colleagues knew him to be in people’s faces in Canberra, lobbying them to commit towards NT projects.

In addition to $1.5bn for developing Middle Arm (which will take longer than three years to deliver), Mr Gosling also vowed to build a new youth hub in Darwin’s northern suburbs, upgrade the Casuarina Pool and a new accommodation and services hub for Darwin veterans.

Labor’s Gosling annihilates CLP in ‘safe’ Solomon

LABOR has annihilated the Country Liberal Party in the Top End electorate of Solomon, a seat previously considered a swing seat, and its incumbent MP is now eyeing a spot in federal cabinet.

Luke Gosling on Saturday was on track to win a historic third term. No MP has ever won a third term in the Top End seat, which takes in all of Darwin and most of Palmerston.

As of 9.30pm Saturday, Mr Gosling had secured a whopping 40 per cent of the vote, compared to just 25.4 per cent for the CLP’s Tina MacFarlane.

The Australian Electoral Commission was projecting Mr Gosling was on track to win nearly 60 per cent of the two-party preferred vote, taking Solomon from a marginal electorate to a solid safe Labor seat.

The disappointing result will lead to questions within the CLP, and comes after months of turmoil and defections within the party.

Luke Gosling returns as Labor takes the Seat of Solomon in the senate and house of Reps. Picture: Glenn Campbell

A grinning Mr Gosling — an ADF veteran — was given a rockstar welcome by Labor Party faithfuls at a gathering in the Nightcliff Sports Club.

With results flowing in from around the nation pointing to a likely Albanese Labor government, Mr Gosling vowed to work with ‘Albo’ to take action on the key issues for Territorians.

“(Mr Albanese) gets the Territory, he’ll make it one of his highest priorities,” he said.

“Obviously it’s better to be in government than in opposition … so I’m looking forward to fulfilling our commitments, getting an ICAC and developing the north.”

Mr Gosling also made it clear he wanted a ministry within the newly-elected Albanese government.

Tina MacFarlane at the Solomon CLP election bash. Picture: (A)manda Parkinson

He said priorities would include reviewing the Darwin Port’s Chinese lease and getting started on an Indigenous voice to parliament.

At the same victory party, newly-minted Labor Chief Minister Natasha Fyles said she was “looking forward” to working with a federal Labor government.

The CLP’s candidate for Solomon Tina MacFarlane, however, refused to concede the result of the election despite the numbers pointing to a comfortable win to the Australian Labor Party.

Mrs MacFarlane said issues as diverse as the splintering of the conservative vote by minor parties and the pandemic had contributed to the CLP’s disappointing showing.

She thanked the volunteers who had worked for the CLP and after three attempts at entering federal politics said if she lost this time it would almost certainly be her final tilt at office.

“The independents really splintered the vote and I think there’s a national trend against that,” she said.

Labor Senator Malarndirri McCarthy and re-elected Solomon MP Luke Gosling get a rockstar welcome at Labor's Darwin party @TheNTNewspic.twitter.com/URJ2naLtdL

— Thomas Morgan (@thomasmorgan22) May 21, 2022

“There was the pandemic which came into it and there was a trend away from the Coalition and the conservative vote but also up here we had the extra parties that came on board, so that’s probably affected the overall vote.

“There’s a lot of votes still to come in and I’m hopeful we might be able to get there but we’ll have to wait and see what happens.”

In an unusual political play, Mrs MacFarlane paid tribute to Mr Gosling, her main political rival.

“He’s a really nice bloke,” she said.