Federal Labor MP Luke Gosling stands aside from special envoy role amid legal row

Labor MP Luke Gosling is standing aside from his special envoy duties amid a deepening legal scandal.

“I am grateful to everyone who has reached out to me, my family and my office with messages of support,” he said on Wednesday.

“However, due to the ongoing media attention and the distraction this is causing to the business of government, I have decided to temporarily stand aside as special envoy for defence, veteran affairs and Northern Australia until these matters have been heard.”

He added he was “more committed than ever to my role serving the people of Darwin and Palmerston”.

“I will rigorously defend myself against these charges in court,” he said.

It came after he was hit with a fresh charge of breaching bail conditions less than a month after being arrested for allegedly assaulting the Northern Territory’s administrator.

Originally published as Federal Labor MP Luke Gosling stands aside from special envoy role amid legal row