The incoming Northern Territory administrator, David Connolly, has issued a last-minute apology over past social media posts – described as “racist” in parliament – that have inspired fierce opposition to his swearing-in.
As the controversial pastoralist prepares to take his oath on Friday, Aboriginal leaders have vowed to refuse to host the administrator – King Charles’s official representative in the territory, and the equivalent of a state governor – in remote communities, saying Connolly is “toxic”.
On Wednesday, more than 20 local politicians and community leaders signed an open letter urging the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, to “urgently rescind” Connolly’s nomination.
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Meanwhile, the Northern Territory parliament has blocked protesters from gathering outside the building on Friday as Connolly will be sworn in by the governor-general, Sam Mostyn.
Connolly’s apology addressed since-deleted social media posts that have been described in the NT parliament as “racist”.
In one post, published in the NT Independent, he said: “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.”
Guardian Australia has also revealed other comments made by Connolly while chair of the Northern Territory Cattleman’s Association – including that First Nations people were “the main group responsible” for crime in the Top End.
“I deeply regret the past social media posts I made; I never intended to cause offence,” Connolly said in the statement, released by the administrator’s office on Wednesday night.
“I am genuinely sorry for the hurt they may have caused members of the community.
“These posts are no reflection of my personal core values.”
Connolly said he was “committed to upholding the standards the community rightly expects”.
“My actions moving forward will demonstrate genuine care and commitment to serving all Territorians.”
On ABC Radio Darwin on Thursday, the governor general, Sam Mostyn, said she had spoken to Connolly and “was pleased to see” his apology.
“I make no comment about the choice of him as administrator, it wouldn’t be right for me to do that, but I must come, and I must give effect to it in the parliament tomorrow,” Mostyn said.
“I don’t want people to think I don’t understand the background to this, but it would be most inappropriate for me to offer a political or personal view. It’s part of the restraint I always show in the job, it doesn’t mean that I don’t care.
“I’ve always shown respect to First Nations people, to women’s organisations, so people know what I care about and what I brought into office,” she said. “I think that should be self evident. Those views of mine don’t mean that I can prevent or step in and not do my job as governor general.”
“I read the apology. I was pleased to see the apology. It seemed to me to be unreserved.”
The NT government, which recommended Connolly to the federal government, has remained steadfast about its choice.
Albanese has said he would not have chosen Connolly, but that he supports the right of Territorians to select their own administrator.
But the Labor opposition and independent members of the NT legislative assembly have said they will boycott Friday’s ceremony. The chief minister, Lia Finocchiaro, responded by saying they weren’t invited in any case.
The NT News has also reported that Aboriginal leaders remain concerned about Connolly’s appointment.
“As far as I’m concerned, the damage is already done, we need to stop this appointment,” the chair of the Northern Land Council, Matthew Ryan, said.
“We’re not going to tolerate and work with this individual.
“To put it bluntly, I don’t want to see him out there (in remote communities) … why should we work with the administrator? As far as I’m concerned, he’s toxic.”
