OPED: PRESERVING – AND BUILDING – THE TOP END VOICE

Supporting local communities is the Australian way. Our communities need to stay connected, with each other and with our governments.

Spending time in the Northern Territory recently alongside Lia Finocchiaro's Country Liberals’ team, I heard growing bipartisan concern over the possible loss of a Northern Territory seat in the Federal House of Representatives.

Correctly undertaking a redistribution assessment as required by law, the Australian Electoral Commission recently proposed NT representation be halved – from two to just one seat.

The ramifications are enormous.

Already, the Northern Territory seat of Lingiari represents Australians spread across 1,348,000 square kilometres. A single NT seat would represent 247,280 people living across 1,421,000 square kilometres.

If the Australian Capital Territory – had kept its two seats, it would have an average 220,100 people per electorate – compared to the NT population of 247,280.

So Northern Territorians have every right to ask how the ACT now has three seats – an average 147,000 people each – while the NT representation is being cut to a single seat.

I’m privileged to represent the regional NSW seat of Riverina: a little shy of 50,000 square kilometres; a good four-hour drive, 373km end-to-end, Peak Hill to Yerong Creek. It’s among the largest of the 47 seats across NSW – 47 seats across a land mass a touch more than half that of the NT.

Also in NSW, the electorate of Grayndler covers 32 square kilometres. Unlike the NT, it’s best never to take an aircraft to move around that Sydney electorate.

At the recent Territory election, Senator Sam McMahon travelled 1,460km from Darwin to a remote pre-polling station – for a booth that saw 3 votes registered on the day. 3 votes. That’s dedication. That’s democracy. That’s the NT!

While acknowledging a concerning recent easing of population in the NT, there are real concerns over how to effectively represent all Territorians spread across a single seat. I know these concerns are shared across the political spectrum.

What must be done is to grow the NT population to ensure the AEC does not have to grapple with whether or not the Territory should have one seat or two – or perhaps even more! Our Government has targeted policies to grow the economy, grow jobs and therefore grow regional populations such as the NT.

The NT has immense potential to contribute to Australia’s economic growth – indeed, to our economic recovery post-COVID.

Industries from tourism to cattle, horticulture, fishing, bauxite, copper, gold and uranium head a long list of contributions to our national economic wealth – including our export effort – and they deserve a clear national focus and understanding.

Australians pride ourselves in our robust system of democracy.

A single NT seat would in fact cover not just the NT – but also the far-flung Indian Ocean Territories of Christmas Island and the Cocos Islands.

Some action is already under way. The Minister for Finance has asked the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters (JSCEM) to inquire and report on a Private Senator’s Bill. The committee received more than 50 submissions.

For my own part, I agree such a large area as the Northern Territory, with residents spread everywhere, needs and deserves more than one Reps’ MP to ensure democracy is well served – best served.
Article first published in the NT News - 27 August 2020