Federal election 2022: Barnaby Joyce takes his ‘big vision’ the Nationals’ wombat trail

Barnaby Joyce is bragging, and he knows it. He leans over the counter of Katherine’s temple of outdoor sports, Rod & Rifle Tackle World, and tells an elaborate tale about marksmanship.

Barnaby Joyce with Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, Senate candidate for the Northern Territory, in Katherine on Monday. Picture: Deputy Prime Minister’s Office 2022

Barnaby Joyce is bragging, and he knows it. He leans over the counter of Katherine’s temple of outdoor sports, Rod & Rifle Tackle World, and tells an elaborate tale about marksmanship.

Apparently, one day, a member of his AFP protection unit was watching as he tuned the sights on a new Anschutz .308 rifle – a father’s day present from partner Vikki Campion – and was impressed he hit the bullseye on the first try. “He said, ‘I wouldn’t like to be running away from you’,” Joyce recalls.

Barnaby Joyce with Roderick in Katherine on Monday. Picture: Deputy Prime Minister’s Office 2022

“I said, ‘Well, you could, but you’d have to swerve’.”

The Deputy Prime Minister is on the wombat trail in the vast outback Northern Territory electorate of Lingiari in the last week of the federal campaign. Bush seats are won and lost on personal fealty, and banter like this can make a difference.

It’s rare to see senior federal politicians pay much attention to the NT’s two seats. This time, Mr Joyce knows Lingiari could underpin the federal Coalition’s chances of securing a fourth term. “It could be the difference between winning and losing,” he says.

Barnaby Joyce with David in Katherine on Monday. Picture: Deputy Prime Minister’s Office 2022

With progressive Liberal candidates under pressure from “teal” independents, the Coalition needs gains elsewhere. Nationals sources say Lingiari is their best hope to take a seat from Labor, and the Victorian electorate of Nicholls is their most vulnerable.

Lingiari was held by outgoing Labor member Warren Snowdon for more than two decades. He last won it with a 5.5 per cent margin, but both sides see it as in play.

Country Liberal Party candidate Damien Ryan is feeling “pretty confident” based on feedback from the hustings. “I think this Territory campaign will be fought on the personalities of the candidates,” he says.

CLP Senate candidate Jacinta Price, Ryan’s deputy when he was Alice Springs mayor, says his biggest obstacle is not necessarily being well known elsewhere.

Local Territory parliamentarian Jo Hersey thinks Ryan offers her party its best chance in years of taking Lingiari. “If we don’t win with Damien, we are never going to win,” she says.

Mr Joyce is in town to demonstrate the Coalition’s commitment, share his retail politics smarts and promote what his staff calls “Barnaby’s big vision”. He sees China “sneaking up” on Australia, trying to strangle its economic opportunity and threaten national security by building alliances with other nearby nations.

“Australia has got to be like an echidna; China is the crocodile,” Joyce says. “The crocodile looks at the echidna and says, ‘I could eat that, but it’s just not worth it’.”

In practical terms, that means Australia needs to “put more stuff on boats” to help build prosperity and populate the regions. Since most of that “stuff” comes from Northern Australia, linking mineral-rich areas with processing and shipping supply chains is vital.

The Coalition is supporting this vision with the $7.1bn Energy Security and Regional Development Plan. Mr Joyce vigorously denies Labor’s accusations of pork-barrelling.

“If you look at one person one vote, Katherine would get nothing,” he says. “This (strong representation) is how you get stuff in regional Australia.”