A last minute bid to stop a territory administrator's controversial appointment has been launched after a protest was banned in an "extraordinary" decision.
A letter has been sent to the prime minister asking him to intervene ahead of incoming Northern Territory administrator David Connolly's swearing-in ceremony on Friday.
Dozens of politicians, advocates and community groups have signed the letter requesting Anthony Albanese "urgently rescind" the appointment to restore public confidence.
It comes after Speaker Robyn Lambley denied permission for protesters to hold a rally planned outside parliament house in Darwin during the swearing-in ceremony.
NT Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro has copped flak since her Country Liberal Party government's late 2025 nomination of Mr Connolly as administrator, the equivalent of a state governor.
There have been calls for his appointment to be quashed, put on hold or reviewed after his questionable social media posts on X - now deleted - emerged in the media.
They included attacks on what he called Indigenous privilege, an apparent mocking of Welcome to Country ceremonies and a re-post describing Mr Albanese as an "arsehole".
Mr Albanese has previously ruled out federal intervention but Aboriginal elder and Territory MP Yingiya Guyula is hopeful of action after an extraordinary plea.
He co-signed the open letter sent to the prime minister along with more than 20 others including opposition and independent MPs, the NT Anti-Discrimination commissioner and Northern Land Council representatives.
The letter asked Mr Albanese to urgently review the "advice and process that led to this appointment" and "publicly clarify the standards applied in assessing suitability for this constitutional role".
"In circumstances where public confidence in the office has been demonstrably undermined, it is incumbent upon you to act to protect the integrity of the institution and the credibility of the crown's representation in the Northern Territory," it read.
"For many, Mr Connolly's appointment has undermined confidence in whether they are respected, safe and advocated for within our civic institutions."
Mr Guyula also sent a personal letter to the prime minister asking to withdraw his support for Mr Connolly.
"This appointment symbolises the increasingly hostile environment towards Aboriginal people in the NT and it makes us feel exhausted and powerless in our fight to change the course of growing division in the Northern Territory," it said.
Independent MLA Justine Davis is one of the cohort who signed the letter asking the prime minister to urgently intervene.
"Territorians have raised critical concerns that demand immediate attention," she wrote on Facebook.
The backlash has ramped up ahead of Friday's ceremony, with Opposition Leader Selena Uibo announcing she will boycott the event amid protest plans.
However Ms Lambley knocked back permission for the protest, saying there was "insufficient capacity to accommodate a demonstration" at the same time of the ceremony.
Ms Lambley issued a statement saying she supported a citizen's right to protest.
"However, on this occasion all measures must be employed to ensure the security of the dignitaries involved and the staging of this official ceremony."
The decision has been slammed by peak body Environment Centre NT.
"To decline the ability of people to peaceably gather is quite extraordinary and bordering frankly on an anti-democratic statement," executive director Dr Kirsty Howey said.
