Darwin Convention Centre claims it did not say sorry to candidate Phil Scott

The organisers of an event that saw a political candidate storm the stage has denied he received an apology. Read what was said.

A claim by an independent federal election candidate that he received an apology after storming the stage at a development conference has been questioned by the venue operator.

In an interview with Sky News, independent Solomon candidate Phil Scott defended his decision to take to the stage during the Developing northern Australia conference at Darwin Convention Centre in July 2023.

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

Mr Scott spoke for about a minute on stage, which he briefly shared with Tamboran Resources chief executive Joel Riddle, before Mr Riddle’s personal staff and convention centre security helped restore order by forcing the protester from the stage.

Phillip Scott (left) said he received an apology.

Despite gatecrashing the stage uninvited and being handed a microphone to speak, Mr Scott said the behaviour of others at the event was “unedifying”.

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

“I proceeded 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 other attendees at that conference – the footage speaks for itself – and I received an apology after the conference for the way that I was treated.”

Darwin Convention Centre general manager Peter Savoff, point blank denied Mr Scott had been issued with an apology after he stormed the stage.

“I, nor any of my deputies, have any recollection whatsoever of any apology being given to Phil Scott,” Mr Savoff said.

“In addition, if there was an apology owed it probably would not come from the centre, the apology would come from the client.

Darwin Convention Centre general manager Peter Savoff denied an apology was given.

“We’re simply a venue, the client then takes over and runs the part of the venue they book out.”

Mr Savoff said any apology on that occasion should have come from Mr Scott, who was treated respectfully throughout the incident.

“Everybody would have been mightily annoyed and if anything, the apology should have come from the protester,” he said.

“Certainly there was no mishandling or over enthusiastic handling of the demonstrator. The security went on stage, they just took him by the arm and they walked him off the stage and escorted him from the building. End of story.

“The security of our delegates is at the total forefront of our mind. It’s in these big public forums where incidents can occur.

“We take security and how we react to it incredibly seriously and if anything security across Australia and the world has been heightened.

“It exemplified how you can never take any half measures and I’m very satisfied with the promptness and the efficiency in which our security handled the protester under the circumstances on that day.

“Thank heavens that there wasn’t anything even more sinister being planned at hand.”

A spokesperson for Phil Scott said Mr Scott received a verbal apology from a staff member of the Convention Centre, on site, directly after being removed, and has at no point suggested that he received a formal apology from the Convention Centre management.