CANBERRA, July 30 (Xinhua) -- A member of the Australian government has been arrested over the alleged assault of a high-ranking official in the Northern Territory (NT).
Luke Gosling, a federal member of parliament (MP) from the governing Labor Party, was arrested on Thursday morning in relation to the alleged assault of NT Administrator David Connolly.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported that the incident occurred at a Thai festival in the NT capital of Darwin on July 18, at which both Gosling and Connolly were involved in official proceedings.
As NT Administrator, Connolly acts as the constitutional representative of the British monarch in the territory.
In a statement on July 21 after the alleged assault was first reported by local media, Gosling categorically denied the allegations and said he has had "no dealings" with the Administrator since his appointment was announced late in 2025.
Under NT law, anyone found guilty of assaulting the Administrator while they are performing official functions faces a maximum penalty of 14 years' imprisonment. ■
