Federal Labor MP arrested over alleged assault of NT Administrator David Connolly
Updated ,first published
Federal Labor MP Luke Gosling has been arrested for allegedly assaulting Northern Territory Executive David Connolly at a community festival in Darwin earlier this month.
Northern Territory Police said the 54-year-old Solomon federal man was arrested on Wednesday morning over an alleged incident involving the manager at a public event on July 18.
Police said the investigation began last week and Gosling remained in custody Wednesday morning.
The alleged incident was previously reported to have occurred during the NT Grand Festival of Thailand in Darwin, where both men attended formal hearings. Gosling posted photos from the event on his social media that day.
Gosling, who has held the Darwin-based seat since 2016, has previously denied the allegations as “nonsense” and said he has “no relationship” with Connolly, beyond congratulating him on his appointment as Manager.
After the allegations emerged, a spokesman for Connolly said “an incident occurred during the Honorable Manager’s official attendance at a community event”, but police declined to comment further pending the investigation.
The Ruler is the King’s representative in the Northern Territory and holds a role equivalent to a provincial governor.
According to the Northern Territory Criminal Code, assaulting a manager while performing official duties carries a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison. Under Article 44 of the Constitution, a federal MP may be disqualified if he or she has been convicted of an offense punishable by at least one year’s imprisonment or is about to be sentenced.
Connolly’s appointment last year Controversial comments he previously shared on social media about women’s sport, the prime minister and race. This led to condemnation from District Labor figures, including Gosling, who described the comments at the time as “reprehensible and offensive”.
Gosling was appointed as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s Special Representative for Defence, Veterans Affairs and Northern Australia following his election victory last year. He served in the Australian Defense Force’s parachute infantry, commando and defense cooperation programs for 13 years.
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Rob Harris is a national correspondent for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, based in Canberra. He is a former European correspondent.Connect via email.
