Updated ,first published
Federal Labor MP Luke Gosling will step aside from his role as special envoy after he was charged with breaching his bail conditions while awaiting a court date for allegedly assaulting a King’s representative.
Gosling said in a statement on Wednesday morning that he categorically denied all allegations and would rigorously defend himself in court, but would temporarily stand down from his role.
“Due to the ongoing media attention and the distraction this is causing to the business of government, I have decided to temporarily stand aside as Special Envoy for Defence, Veterans’ Affairs and Northern Australia until these matters have been heard,” the member for Solomon said.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had initially stared down calls to strip Gosling of his position after he was charged with two counts of assaulting Northern Territory Administrator David Connolly at a Thai festival in Darwin last month. The offence carries a maximum penalty of 14 years’ imprisonment because Connolly is the King’s representative in the territory, a governor-general equivalent. A conviction against Gosling could trigger a byelection.
Pressure began to mount again on Tuesday when Northern Territory police charged Gosling with breaching his bail conditions, which required him to stay at least 15 metres away from Connolly and give the administrator’s office 48 hours’ notice if the pair were to attend the same public event. Police did not specify what is alleged to have occurred.
Opposition Leader Angus Taylor said on Wednesday the latest claims made Gosling’s position untenable, and that any MP charged with assault should be suspended.
“Presumption of innocence is important in our system, but he should be stood down whilst these proceedings continue,” Taylor told the ABC News Breakfast.
“I said when this first happened, it was a test of the prime minister’s leadership. If it was a test then, it’s an even stronger test today. He must act. It’s completely unacceptable for a second charge to be placed on Luke Gosling.”
Gosling had previously said he would keep the position as an official advocate for defence and veterans’ affairs, and Labor ministers backed him to continue his envoy work.
“There’s a legal process there in the Northern Territory that’ll take its course, and Mr Gosling is going to keep doing that work on behalf of the government,” Industry Minister Tim Ayres told Radio National on Wednesday morning before Gosling stood down.
One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce said Gosling was on thin ice after allegedly breaching his bail and posting a photo of himself at the cricket.
Gosling shared to Facebook a picture of himself at the Australia-Bangladesh test match in Darwin on the date of the alleged breach. NT News reported Connolly was at the venue, but it was unclear if that is where the alleged offence occurred.
“You’re up on charges, you’ve been given bail conditions … What other warnings do you need, mate?” Joyce told News24 on Wednesday. “I hate to say it, I think you’ve gotta get punted.”
A spokeswoman for Gosling denied he attended an event at the same time as Connolly on August 14 and said neither he nor his office had been told why he had been issued a summons.
Gosling’s lawyer described the prosecution case as “incredibly weak” and accused police of politicising the matter after a court date last month.
It was alleged in court that the first assault occurred when Gosling approached Connolly from behind, and in the second, collided with him before drawing back his left elbow and striking him in the upper right rib area.
Gosling will appear in Darwin Local Court on September 1 over the alleged assaults, and over the bail breach charge on September 30.
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Brittany Busch is a federal politics reporter for The Age and Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via email.From our partners
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