Federal MP Luke Gosling says a meeting with discount supermarket giant Aldi will reveal why the company has not opened its operations in the Northern Territory.

Labor's Mr Gosling — who is vying for a fourth term as the member for Solomon at next year's federal election — has spent 2024 campaigning to bring the German-based food retailer to Palmerston and Darwin.

Speaking to Stateline NT, he said attracting Aldi to the Northern Territory was "doable", despite admitting he did not know why the global company had been reluctant to open for business in the NT.

Mr Gosling said he also did not know if the territory's alcohol restrictions had played a role, or if logistics had deterred the company from setting up shop in the Top End.

But he said high-level talks with company executives in Sydney this month would reveal all.

"What we are trying to do is get that high-level meeting with them to understand all the pressure points for them," he said.

The Northern Territory and Tasmania are the only jurisdictions in Australia with no Aldi stores, which consumer advocacy group Choice has found have cheaper prices than other major supermarkets.

Airfares, cabotage

The prices of flights to and from the Northern Territory have remained stubbornly high throughout this year, with airfares becoming an issue during the NT election campaign in August.

Mr Gosling denies the federal government has been powerless to stop airlines from price gauging in the NT.

"We've had the pandemic just come and wreck tourism for example, everyone stopped, airlines had to get support to get through that period," he said.

"I've been saying this for some time, is that if cabotage becomes an answer, and there's an interest, which there isn't currently, but if there is an interest from a foreign airline, that we be seen here in Darwin as a pilot location for that."

Mr Gosling said he would also meet with Virgin executives this month to lobby for a better deal for the Territory.

"I am interested to see, with Qatar Airways interested in buying a stake in Virgin, how that might work best for the territory and going to have those meetings in coming weeks," he said.

Voter backlash on crime

Mr Gosling's Territory Labor colleagues were sensationally booted out of government at August's NT election, being reduced to four seats in the 25-member legislative assembly.

The Country Liberal Party won 17 seats on the back of a tough-on-crime agenda, leaving Labor with no MLAs in Darwin or Palmerston.

Mr Gosling said despite the result, he did not believe voter backlash on crime would hurt his chances at next year's federal election.

He said he was in touch with his electorate, rejecting suggestions by Country Liberal Party (CLP) opponent Lisa Bayliss that he had been quiet on key issues.

"I don't take people for granted and I guess that's why after three terms I'm asking for their confidence again, because they know that I am continually out there, listening to them," Mr Gosling said.

Mr Gosling said he did not believe Labor's election losses in the Northern Territory and more recently in Queensland would pose an issue for the party federally.

"Everyone obviously understands that crime became a big issue over the last period of Labor in state and territory government," he said.

"I've been very clear to the new NT government and to the chief minister that we are ready to assist with whatever assistance they need from the federal government towards community safety."

Mr Gosling is the longest-serving MP for Solomon and says he expects to be promoted to the ministry if Prime Minister Anthony Albanese secures a second term for federal Labor next year.

"The prime minister has recently given me a promotion and sees me as a minister after this next election," he said.

"We will be in a great position, with Malarndirri McCarthy in federal cabinet.

The ABC has also invited the CLP candidate for Solomon Lisa Bayliss to take part in an interview, when Stateline NT interviews return early next year.