LISA PELLEGRINO, HOST: Saturday night was a big night for Luke Gosling, the member for Solomon. The seat taking in Darwin and most of Palmerston has been marginal since it was established in 2001. But it's not anymore. On current counting, Labor has secured almost 60% of the vote. And Luke Gosling is the first member to secure a third term. Luke Gosling joins me today. Good morning.
LUKE GOSLING, MEMBER FOR SOLOMON: Good morning.
PELLEGRINO: A big weekend for you, in fact. And it wasn't at Bass in the Grass.
GOSLING: Unfortunately.
PELLEGRINO: There’s always next year. I know you went last year and had a wonderful time, but of course, this year there were bigger things at hand: the election. You had a big swing towards you, which didn't happen everywhere for Labor. What do you put it down to?
GOSLING: The relationship that I’ve built with our community over the last couple of terms, I think held me in good stead, because I've got a good understanding of what needs to be done. And I think they saw not only my passion for our community, but the opportunity for us to deliver, Federal Labor. And I think they saw in Albo someone who has had a long relationship with the Northern Territory, genuinely cares and loves the Territory, and will help myself and hopefully Marion, which is looking good, and Malarndirri to deliver.
PELLEGRINO: You expressed frustration about your opponent campaigning on crime which is a Territory government responsibility. Tina MacFarlane got about a quarter of the primary vote. Do you think it's a sign that voters may know the difference between what is an NT and what is a federal issue?
GOSLING: Yeah, and it’s a point I made with Adam Steer in an interview here at the start of the campaign and he asked me the question, was I worried about the relentless focus of my opponents on crime and other issues like NT mandates and so forth. And I just made the point then, and I’m vindicated now, that Territorians are smart enough to realize what level of government looks after what. They know the Council does rates and rubbish, they know that the Territory Government does health, policing, and education, and they know the Federal Government does important things like defence and big-scale development as well. And that's where I think this partnership between the NT Government with the new Chief Minister Natasha Fyles, who I think is going to be brilliant, and our Federal Labor Government, I think Territorians saw that, I think they saw I was prepared to work hard for our community that I love so much, and they voted accordingly.
PELLEGRINO: We heard earlier on the station today from ABC reporter James Glenday that both major parties made a lot of visits to the Northern Territory this election. Why was there such an interest in the NT?
GOSLING: It's interesting, I think it was partially around the national security, Indo-Pacific. I think that Scott Morrison thought he had a good chance in Lingiari, not taking anything away from Damian or any of the candidates. Anyone who puts their hand up to represent their community has my respect generally speaking. He obviously didn’t know Marion Scrymgour that well, didn’t know her deep roots and passion to deliver for our community. So I think there was a feeling that there could be seats in the Territory that were up for grabs. And the people have had their say now, so it’s just time to deliver.
PELLEGRINO: So nothing to do with escaping the southern winter, or the impending winter?
GOSLING: No, I don’t think so. Because it’s a long way in a plane, it’s about four or five hours. I’m really appreciative of the support I have from my team, and I look forward to joining them and as a senior member of the team in the future.
PELLEGRINO: Yeah, well, you've been an Opposition backbencher since you entered Parliament six years ago. What will you be able to do for the Top End in government, do you think?
GOSLNG: Yeah, loads. I just can’t wait. And I ran in 2013 and narrowly lost by like a per cent. So it's been ten years that I've been working with the community, holding the Coalition to account – and it’s been a Coalition government for that whole time. So whether it was around failed promises for Kakadu funding, roads funding, women’s change rooms that even though they were part of sports rorts still haven’t been delivered, just trying to make sure that as much as possible we were on the map nationally. And I think I've been successful in achieving that. Obviously working alongside Warren Snowdon and Malarndirri. We've made a number of commitments in this election campaign and now it's time to deliver.
PELLEGRINO: The Member for Solomon has stayed on the backbench regardless of who's in power, so how strong is your case to join the ministry?
GOSLING: It’s good, yeah. I mean, I’ve got a lot of life experience, I'm not a politician who was a staffer only, and then was on a council, then went straight to the state government and then ran for federal government. You know, I was a military officer, I’ve worked all around the world and worked in the private sector, I’ve worked in health in the Northern Territory, northern development and in relations with our region. Obviously I’ve got a defence background, I'm a veteran. There are a number of areas in the Northern Territory, northern development and in relations with our region. Obviously I’ve got a defence background, I'm a veteran. There are a number of areas that I could serve in. But my main passion is the social and economic development of the Northern Territory and in particular cementing our role, Darwin and Palmerston, as the capital of the north. So that's what drives me when I’m down there, to make this, our beautiful home, an even better place to live.
PELLEGRINO: Is it important to have a Minister for Northern Australia who lives in the Northern Territory? That seems like a bit of an obvious question, but do you think it’s important?
GOSLING: We understand the issues and we’ve got the contacts. If you draw a line from Brisbane to Perth, I am the only Labor federal MP – hopefully with Marion as well – of the House of Representatives above that line. So Northern Australia is not only our home, we understand it, and we’re getting closer. When I was first working in the federal space, Josh Frydenberg was the Minister for Northern Australia from Kooyong, the seat he has just lost. So it seems he wasn't in tune with his local seat, let alone Northern Australia. We went on to have someone who in lives Sydney, currently someone who lives in the Gold Coast – Murray Watt, who's done an excellent job, but I'm just making it clear that the Territory will not be ignored, and I’ll ensure that happens.
PELLEGRINO: You know, the reason I come to mind that particular question, because Josh Frydenberg the former Member for Kooyong, who lives in Melbourne, was Minister for Northern Australia when the Darwin Port was leased, which has been obviously a big issue that is still talked today. What do you think should happen with the Port of Darwin now?
GOSLING: And Josh Frydenberg’s mate Andrew Robb, who was Trade Minister, then took a nearly $1,000,000 a year job with Landbridge, the company. Scott Morrison, the former prime minister, was the Treasurer at the time and worked with Adam Giles to make it happen. It’s part of what Territorians have said, here in Darwin and Palmerston and across the Territory, is that they don’t appreciate decisions like that being made. Having said that, they are still sitting for some reason – and it won’t be long now until we're in a position to get the advice from the security agencies – but Scott Morrison and the Federal Government are still sitting on the review of the security agencies around the port. So that now as we speak Albo, Richard Marles, the deputy leader, Penny Wong in Foreign Affairs, Jim Chalmers and Katy Gallagher, tin the Finance and Treasury portfolios, are being sworn in by the Governor-General. They’re hitting the ground running. Albo and Penny, or, sorry, Prime Minister Albanese, I should say, and Penny Wong, our Foreign Affairs Minister of Australia, are heading to the Quad meeting where Japan, India, Australia and the US will be discussing all sorts of issues that deal with the Indo-Pacific. The port arrangements, the Marines being hosted here in Darwin, which Federal labor under Prime Minister Julia Gillard established. All these issues will be discussed, but we need the advice from the security agencies and we just haven’t got that at this point.
PELLEGRINO: Luke Gosling, the Member for Solomon on ABC Radio Darwin, thanks so much for taking the time out and we look forward to seeing what you do with your position over the next coming years.
GOSLING: It's so nice to chat and thank you to Territorians, whether you voted for myself and Marion or not, we will be working passionately for you.
ENDS
