August 26, 2026 — 12:04pmFederal Labor MP Luke Gosling will step aside from his role as special envoy after he was charged with breaching his bail conditions while awaiting a court date for allegedly assaulting a King’s representative.“I categorically deny all the allegations made against me,” Gosling said in a statement on Wednesday morning.Solomon MP Luke Gosling.Alex Ellinghausen“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, Veterans’ Affairs and Northern Australia until these matters have been heard.“I am more committed than ever to my role serving the people of Darwin and Palmerston.I will rigorously defend myself against these charges in court.”Pressure had been mounting on the prime minister to dump Gosling from his role, with Opposition Leader Angus Taylor again calling for him to be stood down on Tuesday.NT Police said in a statement that Gosling allegedly breached his bail conditions on Friday, August 14, and served him with a summons to appear in Darwin Local Court on September 30. Police did not specify what is alleged to have occurred.Gosling was charged with two counts of assaulting Northern Territory Administrator David Connolly at a Thai festival in Darwin in July. The offence carries a maximum penalty of 14 years’ imprisonment.More to comeCut through the noise of federal politics with news, views and expert analysis. Subscribers can sign up to our weekly Inside Politics newsletter.Brittany Busch is a federal politics reporter for The Age and Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via email.From our partners