Northern Territory Police Minister Brent Potter has come under scrutiny for sharing material on Facebook that quoted a Nazi commander and expressed opposition to the Black Lives Matter movement.
The content was allegedly posted over a six-year-period and could be viewed publically until his social media accounts were deactivated on the day he was preselected for Territory Labor in 2022.
One of the posts, shared to his Facebook wall in 2016, featured a quote by Field Marshal Erwin Rommel stating: “In the absence of orders go find something and kill it.”
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry has condemned the post as “not acceptable” and warned it could “glamourise” figures associated with the Nazi regime.
In another post, he re-shared a video described as showing how a right-wing commentator “destroys Black Lives Matter with simple logic.”
A third post, shared by a relative, tagged Mr. Potter and contained a racial slur. It is possible to un-tag yourself in Facebook comments, but the senior minister chose not to.
Racism Concerns Following Inquest
The revelation comes amid ongoing concern about the level of racism in the Northern Territory Police Force, of which Mr. Potter is the minister.He has ordered an internal investigation after claims made during the inquest into the shooting death of Aboriginal man Kumanjayi Walker by Constable Zach Rolfe in Yuendumu in 2019.
Mr. Potter defended the posts, asserting that sharing them did not mean he agreed with the content.
“These reposts on Facebook were between eight and 10 years ago when I was in my 20s, and do not define my views on any subject,” he said.
“As a Defence veteran, who served for 15 years, I used social media as a way to connect with others who have been through similar experiences, and that included sharing military-themed cynical and satirical humour that would not be understood by those who haven’t served.
Other MPs Call for Resignation
These explanations were challenged by independent Member for Blain and former police officer Mark Turner, who said in a social media post that veterans had been in touch with him who were “appalled” by Mr. Potter’s comments.He said the Australian Defence Force had guidelines around publicising anti-Semitic and Nazi content.
“I urge him to retract the linking of veterans with his comments,” he said.
Another independent MLA, Robyn Lambley, called for Mr. Potter to resign. “When Parliament resumes next Tuesday I do not expect to see [Brent] Potter in the Chamber,” she said.
Independent MLA Robyn Lambley has also called for Mr. Potter to quit over what she described as “hate speech.”
Mr. Potter was also criticised by the Executive Council of Australian Jewry.
The organisation’s co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin said: “It’s unacceptable at any time to say these sorts of things and to share racist humour, and to glamorise Nazi generals. We need to understand that these jokes, even if they may seem like harmless banter, they do harm, they do serve to malign groups of people.”
“If it is part of soldier culture, then it should be eradicated, it should be dealt with, then we should expect better of our armed forces, and overall I do believe they do perform to much higher standards.”
Backed by Chief Minister
However, despite saying she was concerned about racism in the NT community, particularly on social media, and describing it as “abhorrent,” Chief Minister Eva Lawler said she stood by the police minister and that the posts “do not reflect the Brent Potter of today.”“Around a decade ago—years before he got into politics—Brent Potter reposted controversial content on his social media account that he now regrets,” she said.
“Many young people who have grown up in the social media era have posted or reposted things they regret.”
