Lidia Thorpe, an Indigenous senator in Australia, has been officially censured by the Senate following her protest against King Charles during his recent visit.
The Senate’s censure motion, led by government leader Penny Wong, condemned Thorpe’s actions as disrespectful, stating they were meant to “incite outrage and grievance. What led to the censure of Lidia Thorpe?
In October 2024, King Charles III visited Australia, his first tour as monarch. He was received with ceremonial welcomes, tree-planting, and speeches. But what shifted the attention from all that was an explosion by indigenous Senator Lidia Thorpe.
During the King’s address at the Australian Parliament House, Thorpe stood up and disrupted the event.
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She accused the King of genocide in a fiery speech before telling Charles, “You’re not my King”, as he returned to his seat from a lectern in Canberra.
Although brief, her protest was a powerful one. She accused the monarchy of genocide and land theft, reflecting centuries of Indigenous dispossession under British colonization.
In an attempt to express disapproval for her actions, the Senate, on Monday, passed a motion 46 votes to 12 to censure her. Thorpe later entered the Senate chamber and yelled: “Shame on you all”. “If (the king) comes back in, I’ll do it again.”
Thorpe was not present during the vote due to a flight delay. She said she had contacted Labor minister Don Farrell to ask him to delay the vote but claimed she was denied her right to be in that chamber whilst everybody else voted to shut her down.
Thorpe, who is unrepentant, vowed to protest again if given the chance. Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi, adding his voice criticized the censure as silencing an Indigenous voice and failing to address the colonial legacy Thorpe highlighted.
Thorpe, after the vote, told reporters she “did not give a damn” about being censured and tore up a piece of paper with the motion on it.
Though a censure motion has no specific consequences, it serves as a disapproval of the Senate on an individual’s actions.
Labor senator and foreign minister Penny Wong was among many others who condemned Thorpe’s actions as an attempt to boost her own profile.
Australia has a painful colonial history under Britain. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders suffered mass killings, land theft, and the destruction of cultures under British rule.
Australia remains a constitutional monarchy, with King Charles as head of state. But republican movements and calls for a treaty with Indigenous peoples are growing louder.
While King Charles’s visit celebrated tradition, Thorpe’s protest served as a reminder of unresolved tensions. The question remains: can Australia reconcile its past while shaping its future?
What are your thoughts on Australia’s ties to the monarchy, rights of indigenous people and the censure on Lidia Thorpe? Share in the comments below!
