Federal election Solomon candidate Phil Scott speaks out about Darwin incident

A teal independent has defended his decision to take to the stage in protest at an economic development conference in Darwin. SEE THE VIDEO.

A teal independent has defended his decision to take to the stage in protest at an economic development conference in Darwin.

Phil Scott, the Climate 200-backed candidate in the Northern Territory seat of Solomon, was filmed being escorted by security guards from the stage at the Developing Northern Australia Conference held at the Darwin Convention Centre in July 2023.

When asked about the incident, Mr Scott told Sky News he had acted appropriately at all times, and had received an apology from the Darwin Convention Centre for the way he was treated.

“I went to the conference as a regular punter, I paid $1800 for the privilege and I was curious about what the message was for developing northern Australia,” he said.

Mr Scott said he was there to present the views of those who were unable to afford a ticket.

“One of the points we were making was that it’s quite exclusive, not everyone can put their hand in the pocket and fork out $1800 to listen to the speakers and get on the agenda,” he said.

Phil Scott on stage at the Developing Northern Australia conference in 2023.

Video of the incident published at the time by the NT News shows Mr Scott speaking on the stage while two other protesters can we heard yelling out slogans including “we want climate justice”.

They were protesting against the onshore gas fracking industry in the Northern Territory.

“There is no evidence that fracking can be done without severe health and climate harm,” Mr Scott can be heard saying in the video.

After a short period conference organisers try to persuade Mr Scott to leave the stage before security is called and a stocky bald man forcibly removes Mr Scott from the building to the applause of other conference attendees.

While the video doesn’t show how Mr Scott ended up on the stage, he said he only began speaking after he was given permission by the conference organisers.

“I asked if I could say a few words and then I was given the microphone,” he said.

“I proceed to start what was actually only a brief speech before what you can probably see on the video ensued.

“It was unedifying on the part of the conference hosts, it was unedifying on the part of the other attendees at the conference, the footage speaks for itself, and I received an apology after the conference for the way I was treated.”

Mr Scott said he could have acted differently after being shoved off the stage, but chose not to fight back.

Phil Scott on stage at the Developing Northern Australia conference in 2023.

“What these jokers don’t know, what they don’t understand and what they underestimate is me, and our community,” he said.

“I play rugby, old mate behind me probably didn’t expect that, I could have responded in the same way that he responded to me, but I chose not to, so getting shoved around from behind, getting pushed across the stage and having water thrown on me, I’m used to that, usually it’s by my teammates at half time, but old mate behind me reckons he can push the little people around, we’re not here to be pushed around, we’re here to have ourselves represented in parliament and they are going to squeal and they are going to ark up because of it,” he said.

The major parties have previously questioned the independence of Mr Scott’s campaign.

He is being backed with funding from Climate 200, a group convened by renewable energy advocate Simon Holmes a Court, the son of Australia’s first billionaire Robert Holmes a Court.

There are 35 so-called teal candidates contesting this federal election, including four, like Mr Scott, who are taking on Labor incumbents.

Originally published as Federal election Solomon candidate Phil Scott speaks out about Darwin incident