Labor Federal MP Luke Gosling has been banned from coming within 50 metres of the Northern Territory’s Government House after being charged with assaulting NT Administrator David Connolly earlier this month.
Gosling was arrested on Thursday in relation to the incident, which reportedly occurred at the NT Thailand Grand Festival in Darwin on July 18.
Charged with two counts of assault, Gosling faced Darwin Local Court on Friday where Judge Stephen Geary served the ban while varying his bail, ABC News reports.
He also ordered Gosling to give Connolly’s office 48 hours’ notice before attending any event where the two men would be present.
If they are at the same occasion, Gosling must stay 15m away from the administrator.
In a statement released following his arrest, Gosling, the member for the Darwin-based seat of Solomon, said he ‘categorically’ denied the allegations against him.
‘I’ve had no dealings with the administrator since congratulating him following the announcement of his appointment late last year,’ he said.
Despite his protestations, opposition MPs have since called on Gosling to step down from his special envoy role of Defence, Veterans’ Affairs and Northern Australia, with Opposition Leader Angus Taylor accusing Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of having ‘failed’.
Labor Federal MP Luke Gosling (pictured with Anthony Albanese) has been banned from coming within 50m of the Northern Territory’s Government House after being charged with allegedly assaulting NT Administrator David Connolly earlier this month
David Connolly pictured with Governor General Sam Mostyn at Parliament House in Darwin
‘This is a test of leadership for him (Albanese), and when it really matters, whether it’s on the economy, whether it’s on protecting our way of life, when it really counts, the prime minister is nowhere to be seen’, Taylor said.
‘This is a very serious… situation, and arrest charges (are) being laid against the most senior official in the Northern Territory.
‘The prime minister needs to step up.’
Albanese is on leave, with Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles acting in his place.
Nationals’ senator Bridget McKenzie also said Gosling should stand aside from the special envoy role until legal proceedings had concluded.
‘It’s an important part of our democracy of keeping integrity within our Westminster system that the prime minister does do the right thing and stand Mr Gosling aside until his name is cleared or until the matter is dealt with in court,’ she told News 24.
NT Senator Malarndirri McCarthy told ABC Radio she was upset by the news, as she had found Gosling to be a very good and decent person’.
She said conversations about whether he should step down would need to be between Gosling and the Prime Minister.
