David Connolly, the incoming Northern Territory Administrator, is facing calls for reconsideration and an apology following the emergence of past social media posts and statements made in speeches. These comments, which address Indigenous Australians, federal politics, and social issues, have been described as "reprehensible," "offensive," and "racist" by various federal and territory politicians and Indigenous leaders. Mr. Connolly has stated it was never his intention to cause offense and that he now fully understands the expectations of his role, while the Northern Territory government has affirmed its support for his appointment.
Appointment and Role
Mr. Connolly was nominated by Northern Territory Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro in December and is scheduled for official swearing-in next month. The role of the Northern Territory Administrator is equivalent to a state governor, serving as the nonpartisan representative of the Crown and expected to be a politically neutral, unifying figure for all Territorians. Before his nomination, Mr. Connolly was the president of the NT Cattlemen's Association.
Emergence of Past Comments
Scrutiny of Mr. Connolly's appointment began after past posts from his recently deleted X (formerly Twitter) account surfaced in media reports. Further concerns were raised by statements made in speeches delivered in 2022, 2023, and 2024.
Social Media Posts (2020-2024)
Reported posts from Mr. Connolly's X account included:
- Criticism of elders being compensated for Welcome to Country ceremonies, with a comment stating, "Hmmm welcome to my house; that'll be $3,000 thanks."
- Critiques of traditional Aboriginal burning practices, stating, "We fight Indigenous lit bushfire indiscriminately and illegally lit in our paddocks every year. There is no science, it is arson. If a white man did it he would be severely fined. After experiencing this, you cannot convince me they are doing good for the country."
- A claim that Indigenous people were fast-tracked in the medical system compared to non-Indigenous individuals, and a joke about being "indigenous to Australia" by definition. He also noted perceived differences in funding for non-Indigenous and Indigenous children's sports and travel for boarding school, concluding he saw "bias up here in the NT directed at what benefits certain people get, and what others don't get. I see anger at the concessions and unfairness more than any racism."
- Descriptions of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as a "boofhead" and reposting a tweet referring to him as the "largest arsehole in the world."
- Sharing a Liberal Party post promoting its cost-of-living relief plan during the 2025 federal election campaign.
- A post reportedly making a joke about domestic violence in reference to the Greens political party, stating, "According to the Greens I was supposed to go home and committ (sic) domestic violence."
- A critique of the "Always Was, Always Will Be" slogan used by Invasion Day protesters, asking if "white fella's in the crowd give the blackfella's in the crowd, their land."
- General remarks concerning transgender individuals were also reported without specific post details.
Mr. Connolly's X account was reportedly deleted following media inquiries.
Statements in Speeches
Mr. Connolly's speeches have also drawn attention:
- 2024 NT Cattlemen's Association (NTCA) Speech: He criticized the Labor party and Prime Minister Albanese, particularly regarding the 2011 decision on live cattle exports, stating the Prime Minister "lied." He characterized the Prime Minister's conduct regarding the Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum as "arrogant, ignorant, threatening and so wrong." He attributed rising crime rates in the NT to the former Territory Labor government's "soft policies on crime" and a "weak judiciary." He controversially linked crime to a group of people who "have been in Australia for 60,000 years," stating, "The English didn’t send them here. They are the product of failed policy and a soft on crime attitude." The speech also included views on "leftwing" activists, environmental issues, and the territory's initiatives to establish a treaty with First Nations people.
- 2023 Speech: Mr. Connolly stated that he does not worry about causing offense and commented on the "left" controlling agendas.
- 2022 Speech: He made critical remarks about Aboriginal land rights, specifically regarding the 1975 hand back of part of Wave Hill station to the Gurindji people.
Reactions and Calls for Action
The comments have elicited a range of reactions and calls for action:
- Federal Labor Politicians: Indigenous Australians Minister Malarndirri McCarthy and NT-based MPs Marion Scrymgour and Luke Gosling issued a joint statement describing Mr. Connolly's past social posts as "reprehensible and offensive" and suggested he should apologize. They did not explicitly call for his removal, citing support for the territory’s right to select its own administrator.
- Northern Land Council (NLC): Chair Matthew Ryan characterized some posts regarding Indigenous Australians as "racist" and "appalling." He stated that the relationship between Mr. Connolly and the land council was fractured and indicated he would not engage with Mr. Connolly if appointed. Mr. Ryan, along with the Aboriginal Peak Organisations of the NT, explicitly called for Mr. Connolly to be blocked from the role and urged the federal government and Governor-General Sam Mostyn to revoke their approval.
- Northern Territory Opposition: NT Opposition Leader Selena Uibo called on Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro to reconsider the nomination, stating the appointment should reflect the values of Territorians, promoting inclusivity and diversity. She also questioned whether Mr. Connolly could meet the standards of political neutrality required for the role.
- Centre for Public Integrity: Director Geoffrey Watson suggested the government reconsider the appointment.
- Former NTCA Chief Executive: Ashley Manicaros, in a letter to the editor, suggested Chief Minister Finocchiaro's appointment of Mr. Connolly could be a "career-ending move," cautioning that any future controversies or missteps by Mr. Connolly after his swearing-in would hold Ms. Finocchiaro responsible.
Responses from Mr. Connolly and the Northern Territory Government
Mr. Connolly released a statement asserting it was never his "intention to cause offence." He stated, "I fully understand and appreciate the expectations of the community and my role as administrator," and added that his former social media posts were made "at a time when having the honour and privilege of being the administrator was not even in my wildest dreams." He affirmed his commitment to advocating for all Territorians.
The Northern Territory's Country Liberal Party government has indicated it does not plan to reconsider Mr. Connolly's appointment. Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro has defended her nomination, stating Mr. Connolly was selected to "fight for the territory and put our economy first," and expressed her belief that Territorians would appreciate his approach.
Governor-General Sam Mostyn stated that when appointing the NT administrator, the Governor-General acts on the advice of the government.