Senator Thorpe’s outburst at King sparks backlash from MPs

Australian Senator Lidia Thorpe disrupts proceedings as Britain’s King Charles III and Queen Camilla attend a Parliamentary reception at Parliament House in Canberra on October 21, 2024. (Photo by LUKAS COCH / POOL / AFP)
The fallout over Indigenous Senator Lidia Thorpe, who challenged the King during a welcome reception in federal Parliament, continues, with more MPs stepping up to defend the monarch.
At a gathering in Parliament House in Canberra on Monday, the Independent senator for Victoria told the monarch he was not her king.
“You are not our king. You are not sovereign,” she shouted.
“You committed genocide against our people. Give us our land back. Give us what you stole from us — our bones, our skulls, our babies, our people.
“You destroyed our land. Give us a treaty. We want treaty.”
King Charles spoke quietly with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese while they sat on a podium in the Great Hall, as security officials stopped Thorpe from approaching further and escorted her from the room.
Thorpe, who was a guest at the event, was criticised by other guests, including former Liberal Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Victoria Cross recipient Keith Payne.
On Tuesday, Labor Government minister Amanda Rishworth said Thorpe’s actions were “pretty disrespectful and not just to the king, but to the many great Australians that had gathered in the Great Hall”.
“We’re pretty shocked and didn’t quite understand why this was going on, so it was very disrespectful,” she told Nine’s Today programme.
“But it didn’t put a dampener on … the very positive rest of the welcome ceremony, which I think was really very positive.”
Nationals MP Bridget McKenzie said she was appalled.
“If you’re not a fan of King Charles and Queen Camilla, don’t accept the Prime Minister’s invitation,” she told Nine.
The federal opposition is considering raising a censure motion against Thorpe in the Upper House when it next sits on November 8.