The Northern Territory could become Australia's seventh state by 2018.
State leaders from around the country gathered at the Council of Australian Governments meeting today along with prime minister Tony Abbott.
The leaders backed calls from Northern Territory Chief Minister Adam Giles to make the Territory a state.
“We all acknowledge that this is a very long-standing aspiration on the part of the Territory,” Mr Abbott said.
“It’s a bipartisan desire, as I understand it, on the part of the Territorians.
"We are prepared to work with the Territory to see how it can be done.”
Chief Minister Adam Giles thanked his federal and state counterparts for backing the push.
"With second tier status in the nation ... I was very pleased to have support from colleagues," he said after a Council of Australian Government's meeting in Sydney on Thursday.
The territory is hoping to achieve statehood by July 1, 2018.
NT statehood might force flag update: PM
Mr Abbott said the change could mean that the Australian flag needed updating.
"I'm not in favour of changing the flag, I've got to say, although I have to say that the Commonwealth star was to be a seven-pointer star rather than a six-pointer star, that's hardly a massive change," he said.
"I would say that that is an evolution rather than a revolution."
The Northern Territory was trending Australia-wide on Twitter today, with many speculating about what the Territory would be called if it became a state.
What do you think Australia's next state should be called? Tweet @SBSNews
