The Opposition and independent MLAs spectacularly walked out of Parliament Thursday in protest after a series of fiery exchanges about the appointment of Administrator David Connolly, which started when respected Yolngu leader and MLA for Mulka Yingiya Guyula was gagged from attempting to ask the Chief Minister about the appointment, which he said was for his constituents who want to know why a man with a history of making racially vilifying comments about Aboriginal people was given the highly respected role.

The walkout was criticised by Speaker Robyn Lambley who called it a “dark day” for the NT’s Parliament, leaving CLP members to ask each other questions, but the appointment continues to balloon into a political nightmare for Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro.

The seven Opposition and crossbench members insisted in a rare joint press conference outside Parliament that they had no choice but to walk out after repeatedly being shut down all week by the government and the Speaker while attempting to get answers for their constituents about the processes behind appointing Mr Connolly. One MLA said the government appeared to be aware of his past social media commentary that was deleted after it was raised by media last month.

Ms Finocchiaro doubled down on radio yesterday and today, saying she was not aware of the posts before they were reported in the media but would appoint Mr Connolly again despite the offensive comments, which a Labor MLA said amounted to the CLP “green-lighting” racism, misogyny and discrimination across the Territory.

Mr Guyula attempted to ask a question of Ms Finocchiaro during Question Time that was ruled out of order.

“As leaders of the Northern Territory, we should be working to eradicate racism and discrimination in our community, [but] you choose to appoint someone who has a history of offensive comments…,” Mr Guyula said before Ms Lambley cut him off.

“You are going down the wrong track here,” Ms Lambley said.

“No, I’m not,” Mr Guyula responded. “No, I’m not.”

“What you have said is in breach of standing order 30,” Ms Lambley said. “You either change the wording of your question or take your seat.”

Ms Lambley has interpreted standing order 30 – which forbids MLAs from being “disrespectful” to the head of state’s representative in Parliament – to mean nobody can utter Mr Connolly’s name or ask the government questions about how he was appointed or make any reference to his past comments that targeted Aboriginal people, women and transgender people, while mocking domestic violence.

“I am a leader of my people, I am a sovereign nation leader,” Mr Guyula told Ms Lambley.

Ms Lambley responded: “But you are breaching standing order 30, by referring disrespectfully [to the Administrator]. Take your seat or leave the Chamber.”

“This government doesn’t respect my eldership, leadership of my people,” Mr Guyula said, before he left the Chamber out of frustration.

Nightcliff Greens MLA Kat McNamara also attempted to ask the Chief Minister about the appointment, stating that an Aboriginal constituent and another who is a survivor of domestic violence wanted to know “how are they supposed to feel respected and welcomed by a man who has said, ‘Aboriginal people have done nothing good for this country’…and…”

Ms Lambley cut her off and her mic was turned off.

“I’m telling you, you can’t ask that question,” she said. “We have rules. We are part of the Westminster parliamentary system and we all have to comply with this rule, whether we like it or not. We have to not be disrespectful to the Administrator.”

Labor Deputy Opposition Leader Dheran Young then stood to ask another question, but was yelled down.

“We have just asked many questions about this appointment [to the government] and you continue to shut us down, you continue to take Territorians for fools,” he said. “What is the point of even being here?”

He was then ejected from the Chamber, sparking the rest of the Opposition and remaining crossbench members to leave in protest.

Mr Guyula said outside Parliament the lack of transparency around the appointment and the refusal to permit elected members to ask any questions was a “frustrating situation”.

“All I wanted was to hear the truth about the Administrator’s appointment,” he said.

“These are the questions that I am being asked by constituents because we’ve heard that he has made racist comments about Aboriginal people and I want the Chief Minister to explain why she appointed him.

“I knew that this would be a hard question for the Speaker to approve but these questions need to be asked and the government should be providing answers.”

‘Cold day in hell before I respect Connolly’: McNamara

Throughout the three days of sittings this week, the CLP members used Ms Lambley’s interpretation of the standing order to constantly object if any MLA mentioned Mr Connolly or his appointment, while refusing to answer questions.

On Wednesday, the Opposition attempted to have standing orders suspended so they could discuss the Administrator’s comments, but the CLP used their numbers to block the motion.

McNamara said during the press conference outside Parliament that she would not show respect to Mr Connolly, regardless of his position or attempts to force her into it.

“What we’re seeing here is the so-called party of free speech on one hand excuse a man for insulting large cohorts of our community as his right to free speech, while [on] the other [hand] going to great lengths to deny our right to free speech and to speak for our constituents,” McNamara said.

“And I’ll tell you what, it’s a cold day in hell before I am forced to show respect to a man that has shown such utter contempt for my community.”

Independent Member for Johnston Justine Davis said she too was frustrated about the consistent shutdown of questions that her constituents wanted answered.

“I can tell you that this is a very, very broad range of people, including people who are strong CLP supporters, saying this is just not okay, this cannot go ahead,” she said.

“So, the fact that [the Chief Minister] can stand there and say that she would go ahead and do this [appointment] again, I think Territorians have a right to ask, who are you actually standing for Chief Minister? What kind of respect do you have for us as Territorians?”

Connolly appointment a ‘shit’ decision: Opposition Leader

Labor Opposition Leader Selena Uibo said the Chief Minister was letting Territorians down and displaying poor leadership.

“She is a leader by name, she is not a leader by nature,” Ms Uibo said.

“She is falling back on a bad decision, and quite frankly, Territorians are telling us it’s a very shit decision.”

Ms Uibo added there is still time for Ms Finocchiaro to “come clean” and “realise this has really caused hurt and upset across the Northern Territory”.

“If she is not listening to Territorians now, we will have no confidence in the CLP Government led by Lia Finocchiaro in the future.”

Labor Member for Gwoja Chansey Paech said the CLP Government was “green-lighting racism, sexism, misogyny and discrimination” across the Territory by appointing Mr Connolly.

“By this appointment, they have green-lit the Territory down a terrible path, saying that racism, misogyny, sexism, and discrimination is absolutely okay when the head of state[‘s representative] is the person who makes those disgusting comments,” he said.

“They are saying it is okay for everyone else to go out and say that because they appointed this bloke to be the leader of the Territory, knowing that he said that, knowing that he caused harm to so many people in the Territory.

“We will not be complicit in that decision, and we will not be silent…We have tried everything, and we will try everything, and we will remind people every day that this decision will cost the CLP in the long run, because Territorians don’t stand for this rubbish, and they will absolutely see it for what it is.”

Ms Davis said she had received a response from Governor-General Sam Mostyn and would be meeting with her on Friday to discuss Mr Connolly’s appointment. The Governor-General formally appoints the Administrator after the Federal Government approves the NT Government’s chosen candidate.

Back in Parliament, Ms Lambley told the Chamber the seven MLAs’ decision to walk out had created “disruption and chaos” and described the walk-out as “an incredibly dark day in the history of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly”.

She chastised the members who walked out for what she called “disgraceful behaviour” and suspended them from the Chamber for one hour, with the exception of Mr Young, who she suspended for 24-hours.