The Northern Territory's new Administrator, David Connolly, has used his first media appearance since taking office to address backlash over past social media posts, saying they only reflected "who I was then".
Mr Connolly, the former president of the Northern Territory Cattlemen's Association, was sworn in on Friday as the Territory's 24th Administrator after being nominated by Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro. The politically neutral role — equivalent to a state governor — carries a salary of $377,000.
His appointment has drawn criticism over earlier posts that attacked Welcome to Country ceremonies, mocked Indigenous languages, and included disparaging remarks about women, the Prime Minister and domestic violence.
Large protests took place outside Parliament House in Darwin during his swearing-in, where Larrakia Elder Eric Fejo was arrested for trespassing and resisting arrest.
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Speaking on Mix 104.9 Darwin on Monday, Mr Connolly argued the now-deleted social media posts were "in response to things that were going on in the pastoral world" and said he would "invite those people to talk to me" about the Administrator toning down the "blokey sort of talk that's a little bit clumsy".
"It is now a matter for them, whether they wish to speak to me or not, but they'll find that I understand that this office is bigger than the person, and it's always been about bringing Territorians together," he added.
Asked about further posts being uncovered after the ABC reported ones that made light of domestic violence, Mr Connolly said he was not concerned, as "that's who I was then".
"I was a naive cattleman talking about green grass, blue skies, fat cattle, and it morphed into an agripolitics world," he said, later adding that for the people for whom "my tweets trigger those [bad] memories... for that I'm very sorry".
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Appearing on the same station, federal Minister for Indigenous Australians Malarndirri McCarthy said Mr Connolly "certainly needs to engage" with the communities he has offended, including Aboriginal Territorians, who make up about a third of the population.
The Northern Land Council has previously said it would have nothing to do with him, while NT MP Yingiya Guyula questioned the sincerity of his apology and urged him to decline the appointment.
Responding to Mr Connolly's claim that no organisation has so far refused to accept him as patron, Senator McCarthy said: "Well, that's curious. There were a few organisations that I had heard that were thinking very carefully about whether they would go ahead, but it'll be interesting to see what the coming weeks brings."
"I think where my concern initially goes to...the role of the Parliament in the Northern Territory and the ability for parliamentary members of the Northern Territory assembly to be able to debate and speak about the role of the Administrator,' she said.
"And it is concerning, from what has taken place in the Northern Territory Assembly, that there is no ability to discuss or debate and I do think that is a real concern for democracy."
