Sam Mostyn: Read Australia’s next Governor-General’s controversial deleted tweets: ‘Invasion Day’

Australia’s new Governor-General called Australia Day ‘invasion day’ and urged the country not to ‘waste’ the opportunity given by the government. Uluru statement from the heart posted in now-deleted comments on X.

Sam Mostyn wiped away her social media presence before Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the businesswoman, gender and climate activist as General David Hurley’s replacement on Wednesday morning.

The once prolific tweeter – who had 22,000 followers on

But posts made by Ms Mostyn over the years – obtained by Daily Mail Australia – offer insight into the politics of the woman now tasked with representing King Charles in Australia.

Ms Mostyn was a leading advocate for the Indigenous Voice to Parliament and hosted and participated in panels on the referendum alongside Yes campaigner Thomas Mayo.

She advocated for a Yes vote online, took part in Michael Long’s ‘Long Walk Oz’ to Canberra to promote the Indigenous Advisory Panel and joined virtual yarn circles with Pat Anderson AO and Professor Megan Davis.

Her X account’s banner image has long been a poster that reads: ‘We support the Uluru Statement’.

And on January 25, 2020, Ms Mostyn wrote: ‘This January 26, NITV Sunrise Ceremony cleansing ceremonies, 80,000 years of Australian history, wonderful panel discussing survival, truth, #invasionday and the future.’

She then added another hashtag that said, “#AlwaysWasAlwaysWillBe.”

Reconciliation Australia, a foundation focused on closing the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, celebrated her appointment on Wednesday and revealed – in addition to the long list of qualifications touted by the Prime Minister in his statement – ​​that they also management was over.

“Sam is a former board member of Reconciliation Australia (2007-2010) and has been a committed advocate for reconciliation, First Nations rights, climate change and many other causes throughout her career,” the organization said.

Ms Mostyn made another post on July 30, 2022, after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese spoke out in favor of the Voice to Parliament referendum, and in the wake of the death of Aboriginal activist and singer Archie Roach.

She said: “I can’t imagine a more bittersweet day – from the excitement and hope of a voice being enshrined in our Constitution to the devastating, deep sadness over the loss of Archie Roach.

“Australia cannot waste a moment in accepting the Uluru Statement from the heart.”

Ms Mostyn also appeared to celebrate the election of Teal Independents in the 2022 federal election.

“In case you hadn’t heard them roar,” she tweeted, sharing an article about the “pro-climate women who took on the Liberal Party and won.”

These had all been removed when she was announced as the new governor general on Wednesday.

Speaking about her appointment, Mr Albanese said: “Ms Mostyn has had an extensive career in corporate Australia, including working at senior levels in telecommunications and insurance companies in Australia and globally.

‘She also held senior non-executive positions on boards including Transurban and Virgin Australia, and was chair of Citibank Australia. She is currently chairman of AWARE Super and Alberts Music Group and sits on the board of Mirvac.

“Ms Mostyn has been a commissioner of the Australian Football League (AFL) and a driving force behind the AFL Women’s (AFLW).” Her tweets reveal that she is an AFL nut and repeatedly posts about the competition.

It was widely expected that Mr Albanese would appoint an indigenous Australian as governor-general, and Ms Mostyn’s announcement came as a surprise.

She and Mr Albanese have a long-standing professional relationship through her high-level roles as chair of the Women’s Economic Equality Taskforce and on the board of the Climate Change Authority.

In September 2023, as the Prime Minister came under scrutiny over his friendship with embattled Qantas CEO Alan Joyce, Ms Mostyn was named in a manifesto for Mr Albanese’s VIP flight.

She accompanied Mr Joyce and Mr Albanese on a private flight back to Sydney after the Jobs and Skills Summit, along with other VIPs including the CEO of Rio Tinto and the chairman of Telstra.

Mr Albanese said at the time: ‘They were given a bill, they paid their own money and they sat together while I was in another part of the plane having a meeting about the Jobs and Skills Summit.’

She was also seen at the Prime Minister’s victory party after winning the 2022 elections.

Ms Mostyn has long been outspoken in her ambitions to see positive change in Canberra, having worked as a policy adviser to two ministers and Prime Minister Paul Keating.

At the time, she was completely taken aback by the culture in Canberra, telling Teal independent Zoe Daniel that she was repeatedly propositioned by serving senators.

She said: ‘There was a feeling that everything was fair game.

‘A few times I was invited to coffee with Aussies by backstabbing senators and I grabbed my pen and paper because I thought they were interested in communications policy.

“A few of them said, ‘Yes, would you like to have an affair?’ ”, she said.

Ms Mostyn said these politicians would argue that there is no harm in extramarital affairs in Canberra because “it’s a funny old place, away from family”, noting that in her experience “the normal rules of good behavior” did not exist.

Ms Mostyn’s appointment has provoked largely positive reactions. It received praise from left-wing personalities such as Peter FitzSimons, Magda Szubanski and Australian Republic Movement chairman Craig Foster.

Mr Foster described Ms Mostyn’s appointment as “an inspired choice”, describing it as “a choice I am sure Australians would make if we had the choice.” Instead of asking for the approval of a king.

“In fact, Sam would make a great President of the Australian Republic.”

And Mr. FitzSimons, another advocate for a republic, said, “Great choice! A real woman of the people.’

Senior Nationals MPs David Littleproud and Bridget McKenzie both supported the appointment.

But Senator Ralph Babet of the United Australia Party argued that Mr Albanese has replaced a general in the ADF (Mr Hurley) with “a Canberran champion of climate change and equality”.

Ms Mostyn will take over the role on July 1.