Top End Residents Unsettled by Incoming Administrator's Blunt Statements
The Northern Territory's new administrator, David Connolly, has sparked significant controversy with comments he made in a 2024 speech. Connolly, who will take on the role representing King Charles III in the territory, was chosen by Country Liberal chief minister Lia Finocchiaro despite being known for his outspoken views.
In one instance, Connolly joked about domestic violence, labeling it as a problem caused by the Greens' agenda, which was met with widespread criticism. Another comment made during the same speech was that First Nations people are "the main group responsible" for crime in the Top End, stating they have been perpetuating crimes due to failed policy and a soft-on-crime attitude.
Critics argue that Connolly's views are far from neutral, which raises questions about his ability to effectively represent all Territorians as the administrator. The role is supposed to be nonpartisan, but concerns are mounting that Connolly's past statements may not align with those expectations.
In response, NT Labor leader Selena Uibo expressed concerns over Connolly's suitability for the position, stating that public comments attributed to him have raised serious questions about his ability to unite the community. Despite Finocchiaro defending her nomination, many are left wondering whether Connolly's appointment will bring the territory together or exacerbate existing tensions.
Connolly has yet to publicly comment on the emergence of his old social media posts or previous statements, leading some to question his level of transparency and accountability. As he prepares to take on the role of administrator next month, it remains to be seen whether Connolly's views will have a positive impact on the community or further divide it.
The Northern Territory's new administrator, David Connolly, has sparked significant controversy with comments he made in a 2024 speech. Connolly, who will take on the role representing King Charles III in the territory, was chosen by Country Liberal chief minister Lia Finocchiaro despite being known for his outspoken views.
In one instance, Connolly joked about domestic violence, labeling it as a problem caused by the Greens' agenda, which was met with widespread criticism. Another comment made during the same speech was that First Nations people are "the main group responsible" for crime in the Top End, stating they have been perpetuating crimes due to failed policy and a soft-on-crime attitude.
Critics argue that Connolly's views are far from neutral, which raises questions about his ability to effectively represent all Territorians as the administrator. The role is supposed to be nonpartisan, but concerns are mounting that Connolly's past statements may not align with those expectations.
In response, NT Labor leader Selena Uibo expressed concerns over Connolly's suitability for the position, stating that public comments attributed to him have raised serious questions about his ability to unite the community. Despite Finocchiaro defending her nomination, many are left wondering whether Connolly's appointment will bring the territory together or exacerbate existing tensions.
Connolly has yet to publicly comment on the emergence of his old social media posts or previous statements, leading some to question his level of transparency and accountability. As he prepares to take on the role of administrator next month, it remains to be seen whether Connolly's views will have a positive impact on the community or further divide it.
. like, domestic violence ain't no joke, it's a serious issue that needs proper support & understanding, not some politician using it for clicks 
. and saying First Nations ppl are the main group responsible for crime? that's just plain wrong 
. we need someone who's gonna bring people together, not drive them further apart 
. I'm keeping an eye on this one, definitely not looking forward to it 
I'm kinda split about this whole thing... on one hand, you gotta respect that everyone has their own opinions and perspectives. But at the same time, I feel like those comments Connolly made were way off base 
. I mean, domestic violence isn't something you can just blame on a particular party or group of people... it's a serious issue that affects so many lives 
. I think we should be working towards healing those wounds and finding ways to address the root causes of crime, rather than pointing fingers at specific groups.
. On one hand, I want to believe that everyone deserves a second chance and that we can learn from our mistakes 
. But on the other hand, it's hard not to feel like some of those comments were just plain insensitive 
.
... I mean, who jokes about domestic violence? It's just not funny at all. And coming from someone who's supposed to be neutral and represent everyone, it's super concerning. Can't they just stick to the facts and not make assumptions or comments that might offend people? 
... I mean, come on, Connolly just comes out and says some pretty shady stuff about First Nations people and crime 
? It just seems so insensitive & out of touch. And I don't get why Finocchiaro still thinks he's a good choice for the job after all these comments 
! He's got some seriously outdated and tone-deaf opinions about domestic violence and First Nations people, which just aren't acceptable in today's society 
. Like, what was he thinking with that whole "Greens' agenda" joke? 
. We need someone who's gonna listen and learn from everyone, not just spew hate speech and divisive nonsense 
. I don't think this appointment is going to end well for anyone involved 
. I mean, what if his comments are real and he's gonna make things worse for our NT fam? 
David Connolly's gotta explain himself ASAP - we can't just sit back and let him spread hate talk about our Indigenous brothers and sisters. 
As a fan of the NT, I want someone who's gonna bring people together not tear them apart! 
Can we get someone more neutral for this role? 
That's just not true and it's not fair. I don't think this guy is a good fit to represent King Charles III at all. 
Like, domestic violence is never the victim's fault - it's always about the abuser and how we can support the survivors more. And regarding the Indigenous population... I get that policy failures are real issues, but we need to be talking about solutions, not perpetuating stereotypes 
I mean, Connolly's comments about domestic violence and crime rates just don't sit right with me... they seem super insensitive and uninformed 
. I mean, what's his real agenda here? Is this some kind of setup for the new admin to be a puppet or something? And don't even get me started on that joke about domestic violence being caused by the Greens' agenda... that's just plain tone-deaf 
.