Poll results show Opposition Leader Gary Higgins on track to lose seat

OPPOSITION Leader Gary Higgins is in for a battle to retain his seat in next year’s Territory election, polling data from Saturday’s Federal election shows

Opposition Leader Gary Higgins and Chief Minister Michael Gunner ... the Federal election results show Mr Higgins is in danger of losing his own seat in the next Territory election

OPPOSITION Leader Gary Higgins is in for a battle to retain his seat in next year’s Territory election, polling data from Saturday’s election shows.

Labor’s Luke Gosling convincingly won booths within the Daly electorate.

If the results were replicated at a Territory election, it would deliver a 55-45 win to Labor.

Mr Higgins was one of just two CLP members to retain their seats at the 2016 election wipe-out.

He holds it by a narrow margin of just 2.1 per cent.

Mr Higgins spent Wednesday in Wadeye within his electorate.

NT Opposition Leader Gary Higgins, left, and Member for Solomon, Luke Gosling. Mr Higgins is in for a battle to retain his seat in next year’s Territory election after Mr Gosling convincingly won booths within the Daly electorate in the Federal election

The CLP Leader shrugged off questions over whether that could indicate he was in strife at next year’s NT poll.

“We have seen before in the Daly electorate that federal results do not directly correlate with Territory election results,” he said.

“In the 2016 federal election, the ALP polled strong in Daly, but in the 2016 Territory election, the CLP was the clear choice for voters.

“For as long as I have the honour of representing the good people of Daly, I will continue to work hard and passionately advocate for my electorate.”

The analysis of two-party preferred booth results also show the Palmerston electorates of Brennan, held by Tony Sievers, and Drysdale, held by Eva Lawler, are in danger of switching to the CLP at the next election.

Labor is almost sure to lose Katherine, currently held by first time MLA Sandra Nelson.

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Ms Nelson, who is the only Labor member to ever have held Katherine, has already announced she won’t recontest the seat in 2020.

Port Darwin, held by resources Minister Paul Kirby, and Alice Springs’ Braitling, held by Territory Families Minister Dale Wakefield are strong possibilities to return to the CLP.

Final results of votes cast in the Northern Territory in the Federal election (Graphic legend: • RED: Labor • ORANGE: CLP • BLUE: Seats which would change hands if results replicated at NT election)

Labor recorded its strongest results in the NT electorates of Nhulunbuy and Stuart, held by independent members Yingiya Guyula and Scott McConnell.

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Mr McConnell has also confirmed he won’t run at the next election.