The Northern Territory government’s decision to appoint cattle industry figure David Connolly as the territory’s next administrator has triggered backlash, after a series of his past social media posts resurfaced showing sexist and derogatory commentary.
Connolly, nominated late last year to become the NT’s 24th administrator (a role akin to a state governor) is due to be sworn in next month. But his online history raises serious questions about whether he is fit for a position meant to embody neutrality, and respect.
Among the posts circulating is a comment Connolly made about the Australian women’s beach volleyball team during the Paris Olympics, where he shared an image of players embracing and wrote he was “really looking forward” to watching them. The tone of the post has been widely interpreted as sexualised and utterly emblematic of the casual sexism women athletes routinely face.
He also reposted a disgusting tweet featuring Olympic boxer Imane Khelif that included the line: “Anyone claiming I’m a man & won the fight unfairly can suck my d***.”
Other posts show Connolly mocking the concept of white privilege, reposting a meme that framed it as simply “the ability to suffer life’s universal indignities without blaming another ethnic group” and attacking political leaders, including describing PM Anthony Albanese as the “largest arsehole in the world”.
Centre for Public Integrity director Geoffrey Watson SC has urged the Northern Territory government to reconsider the appointment, arguing the role demands political neutrality and public trust. “An administrator is supposed to exemplify leadership and integrity,” he said, warning the posts suggest Connolly may not meet that standard.
Federal Sex Discrimination Commissioner Anna Cody echoed those concerns, saying the posts did not “demonstrate respect for women” and could undermine efforts to build inclusive communities. She stressed that senior public figures have a responsibility to ensure women, Indigenous people and LGBTQIA+ communities feel valued and respected.
Despite the criticism, NT Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro doubled down, defending the appointment and describing Connolly as someone who will “fight for the territory” and prioritise the economy.
She failed to say anything about how deeply problematic this kind of behaviour is, nor what it signals about the way Connolly perceives women and the world he inhabits.
As women, we’re brutally used to casual sexism being dismissed, particularly when it comes from powerful men in public life. But at a time when public trust in institutions is fragile, and when leaders are expected to set the tone for inclusion, Connolly’s digital footprint has become more than a political controversy, it’s a test of how seriously governments take sexism.
So far we’re being shown that it’s not very seriously at all.