‘King Coloniser’: Thorpe reacts to censure

Lidia Thrope has reacted to her senate colleagues formally condemning her foul-mouthed royal protest last month, vowing that she would do it again if given the chance.

The Upper House on Monday voted overwhelmingly in support of motions censuring Senator Thorpe and far right crossbencher Ralph Babet.

In a snap press conference after the vote, the Greens-turned-independent said the Senate was trying to “shut down a black voice.”

“That’s been happening in this country for over 200 years,” Senator Thorpe told reporters.

“And here we have it, trying to shut me down, you have only just given me more media, more exposure, and if the colonising king were to come to my country again, our country, then I’ll do it again.

“And I will keep doing it. I will resist colonisation in this country. I swear my allegiance to the real sovereigns of these lands. First Peoples are the real sovereigns.”

The motion against Senator Thrope, which was moved in her absence, passed the Upper House with 46 votes to 12.

The vote on Senator Babet, who was also absent, was held on voices, where senators yell “aye” or “no”.

Senator Thrope has been facing calls for a censure and suspension since she yelled “you are not our king”, “give us treaty” and “f**k the colony” at King Charles after he delivered an address at Parliament House praising Australia.

She also sparked questions around her legitimacy after she said she pledged allegiance to Queen Elizabeth’s “hairs” and not the late monarch’s “heirs” during her swearing in in 2022.

“I had the opportunity to tell King Coloniser what is going on in this country since his ancestors shed blood on this land against my people,” she said in her post-vote presser.

“Now, he is still responsible, he still has stolen wealth. He has created wealth for himself on the misery of not only my people, but Indigenous people around the world.”

A censure is a largely symbolic measure, but does carry the weight of being condemned by fellow senators.

Ahead of the vote, Penny Wong said the goverment was moving the motions “reluctantly”.

“These are actions which seek to incite outrage and grievance, actually to boost their own profiles, and this is part of a trend that we do see internationally, but quite frankly we don’t need here in Australia,” the Foreign Minister said.

“We should deny them the attention they seek, but in doing so, we should also signal the upholding of standards.”

Meanwhile, Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi said the move was a “disgrace” and accused the chamber of punishing Senator Thorpe “for telling the truth about invasion, dispossession and the genocide of First Nations people in this country”.

Senator Babet has responded to his censure, posting on X that he was “in the way” of an authoritarian agenda.