Federal Labor MP Luke Gosling fronted court Friday afternoon to have his bail conditions for the alleged assault of Administrator David Connolly varied, which his lawyer used to call the prosecution’s case “incredibly weak”, stating there is no CCTV footage and no independent witnesses to the two alleged assaults that reportedly occurred 30 minutes apart at the Thai festival on July 18.

The court also heard Mr Connolly has cancelled events out of “fear” of running into Mr Gosling.

Mr Gosling was arrested at his home on Thursday morning in relation to the alleged assaults and later charged. He has denied the allegations.

Mr Gosling’s barrister Marty Aust, who argued for the bail conditions to be varied to allow Mr Gosling to attend the same public events Mr Connolly attends, which was forbidden in the initial bail conditions after Mr Gosling was charged Thursday with two counts of assault on the administrator.

Mr Aust said Mr Gosling as the elected Member for Solomon needed to “discharge his duties” at public events, including functions and festivals. He added that Mr Gosling has no priors, is of “outstanding character” and had attended the same event as Mr Connolly on July 26, after the alleged assault.

In his submission to Judge Stephen Geary for the bail variations, Mr Aust said the prosecution’s case was nothing more than “complaint evidence by the Administrator”, which also included Mr Connolly’s wife Sue Brosnan as the only witness to the first alleged assault.

“What we have here, in my submission, is an incredibly weak case,” Mr Aust told the court.

“Notwithstanding the numerous people who were there, the CCTV footage that was there, there is not one piece of corroboration with respect to the event, not a single independent witness.”

He added that people who attended the event with Mr Gosling were not questioned by police before the charges were laid.

Prosecutor Jess Readman said Mr Connolly objected to the bail conditions being varied and maintained that the section prohibiting Mr Gosling from attending the same events as Mr Connolly was for Mr Connolly’s “protection”.

“I understand he has already been impacted and did not attend an event,” she said. “Petition three, as it stands, protects the victim’s safety and well-being.

“The victim is deeply concerned with the removal [of that condition]…and feels that he would have to constantly monitor and be mindful of the defendants’ movements at these events in order to actively avoid him.”

Despite being opposed by the prosecution, the bail conditions were varied to order Mr Gosling’s office to give Mr Connolly’s office 48 hours notice of his intention to attend events in which Mr Connolly may also attend.

Mr Gosling was also forbidden from directly communicating with Mr Connolly and must not come within 15 metres of him at events. He was also banned from coming within 50 metres of Government House or the Office of the Administrator.

Mr Aust rejected the prosecution’s claim that Mr Gosling was not invited to the Thai festival and said he had been personally invited by the president of the Thai Association, which the NT Independent later verified.

Ms Readman took issue with Mr Aust’s claims the case was weak, telling the court the investigation was still continuing.

It was disclosed during the hearing that there were two separate alleged assaults on Mr Connolly by Mr Gosling which are said to have occurred 30 minutes apart.

The first allegation involves Mr Gosling allegedly making contact with Mr Connolly “which occurred in a manner in which the Administrator was unable to see the approach, was unable to know how it was that the contact was made”, Mr Aust said.

Mr Geary said the second alleged incident, occurring 30 minutes later, involved a “hip and shoulder collision” in which Mr Connolly alleges Mr Gosling walked past him and then drew back his left elbow and struck him in the “upper right rib area”.

Mr Gosling could be disqualified from Parliament if he breaches the bail conditions as he would face a potential two-year prison sentence.

“Any disincentive to step out of line is there,” Mr Aust said. “My client wants nothing to do with the alleged victim.”

Each of the two assault charges carry a maximum 14 years in prison if convicted, which would also disqualify Mr Gosling from sitting in Federal Parliament.

Gosling told PM he will fight the charges as calls to stand down mount

Outside court, Mr Gosling refuted reports that the police had attempted to contact him for days in relation to the assault allegation.

“The police didn’t make contact with me at all until two days ago,” he said.

“I was working over in Queensland. I finished my commitments there and flew back, arriving back in Darwin after midnight [Thursday]. And first thing Thursday morning, I was arrested.

“So, my office had been working to find a time for that meeting. The first time I heard from them was on Wednesday and I was arrested first thing Thursday morning.”

Mr Gosling said he was thankful the judge had varied the bail conditions “to allow me to get out and to do my job that I was elected to do”, adding he has spoken to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese about the charges.

Federal Opposition Members have called for Mr Gosling to be stood down from his role as special envoy for defence, veteran’s affairs and northern Australia while the court matter proceeds.

“I have spoken with the Prime Minister and just been clear that I’m going to contest these allegations and that I will continue to serve,” Mr Gosling said.

The court heard that it could take 18 months for a trial if the matter proceeds due to the backlog in NT courts. That would put the trial near the date of the next federal election, which needs to be held by May 2028.

The matter will next be in court for a preliminary mention on September 30.