Lidia Thorpe’s Response to Senate Censure: King Charles Protest

Independent senator Lidia Thorpe has responded after the Senate voted to censure her over a protest she staged during King Charles’ Australian visit. She declared Charles was not her king before being escorted out.

“You committed genocide against our people; give us our land back; give us back what you stole from us … we want a treaty in this country,” she shouted.

On Monday, the Senate passed a motion 46 votes to 12 to censure her over her actions. Thorpe was not present for the vote due to a flight delay.

“Shame on you all,” Thorpe yelled in the Senate chamber after the vote. “If (the king) comes back in, I’ll do it again.”

A censure motion has no specified consequences but serves as an expression of the Senate’s disapproval of an individual’s actions. Senator Wong condemned Thorpe’s actions as an attempt to boost her own profile.

Liberal senator Simon Birmingham stated that the motion was about the conduct that was disruptive, disorderly, and disrespectful, reflecting poorly on all senators and the chamber.

Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi labeled the motion a “disgrace” and criticized those who supported Thorpe’s censure.

Thorpe said in a statement before the vote took place that the motion showed where the major parties’ priorities lie and emphasized the need for justice for First Peoples.

United Australia Party Senator Ralph Babet was also censured by the Senate over a controversial tweet he made after Donald Trump’s election win, which included a number of slurs.

He was not present for the motion.

In a tweet, he said: “Australians will soon be put in prison for words that the authoritarian left deem to be offensive.”