Federal election 2019 spreads to NT as Scott Morrison, Bill Shorten race to snatch seats

Gamblers across Australia should be watching the Territory closely. Key points: Scott Morrison and Bill Shorten have both visited the NT this week in a push to win the region's seats The Coalition has used the Territory Labor Government and its handling of the NT economy as leverage to attack Bill Shorten's federal Labor Regional towns across the Territory may vote against Labor in protest against high crime rates and a perceived inability to fix them With there being no magic mare, no Winx set to steal the race across the wide and lowly populated area, the nation's major parties have revealed they are going to give the Northern Territory a serious run on May 18 — each aiming to capitalise on the other's perceived weaknesses and failings in the region. Shorten blamed for NT's perceived shortfalls When the federal election campaign rolled into the Top End this week, Prime Minister Scott Morrison spoke with tub-thumping bravado about why his team deserved to claw the two seats from Labor. Pollies chasing Territory's electoral carrots There are just four main horses running for the House of Representatives in the NT — ex-serviceman Mr Gosling and former deputy coroner Ms Ganley for Solomon, and stalwart Labor MP Warren Snowdon and CLP candidate and Alice Springs town councillor Jacinta Price for Lingiari. Stakes are high for the Territory's future The race for the sparse and cash-thirsty Lingiari seat, which takes in the complex NT towns of Katherine, Alice Springs and Tennant Creek, as well as remote communities stretching from the desert through to the Gulf of Carpentaria, could turn out to be one of the most interesting and unpredictable federal election battles.