The Senate has censured independent Senator Lidia Thorpe for the way she disrupted last month’s parliamentary reception for the Royals. Photo: Greens.
The Senate has censured Greens-turned-independent Senator Lidia Thorpe over her outburst during last month’s parliamentary reception for King Charles and Queen Camilla.
At that October gathering in the Great Hall of Parliament House, Senator Thorpe – wearing a marsupial skin – interrupted the official proceedings to shout at the King over his legitimacy, demand a treaty and use profanities to describe the colony.
The Senate also censured United Australia’s Ralph Babet over a series of offensive social media posts.
The Federal Government moved both censure motions, with the one against Senator Babet passing on the voices (didn’t require a vote).
But there was considerable debate over the censure of Senator Thorpe.
Leader of the Government in the Senate, Penny Wong, said both senators were seeking attention through stunts.
“The government moves these motions reluctantly,” Senator Wong said.
“We all know both senators are engaging in these behaviours precisely in order to get attention. Engaging in actions and stunts designed to create storms on social media but offering nothing of substance to improve anyone’s life.
“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 frankly, we do not need here in Australia.
“We should deny them the attention they seek but in doing so, we should signal the upholding of standards.
“Standards of respect, when we have dignitaries visit our parliament and, in Senator Thorpe’s case, no less than the Head of State, and standards of respect when it comes to talking about our fellow Australians – and in Senator Babet’s case, deliberate abuse of some of our fellow Australians.”
The censure motion against Senator Thorpe did not relate to the views she expressed.
It states that the Senate:
(a) expresses its profound disapproval of Senator Thorpe’s disrespectful and disruptive protest at the Parliamentary Reception for their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla on 21 October 2024 given that the senator has many other avenues to express her views
(b) censures Senator Thorpe for the disruptive and disrespectful conduct at the Parliamentary Reception, and for her disrespect of democratic institutions, including our parliament of which she is a member
(c) calls on all senators to respect our democratic institutions, including our parliament, to engage in debates and commentary respectfully, and to refrain from inflammatory and divisive actions that reflect poorly on the Senate, both inside and outside the chamber, at all times
(d) in light of this conduct, does not regard it as appropriate for Senator Thorpe to represent the Senate as a member of any delegation during the life of this parliament, and
(e) notes that arrangements for future parliamentary addresses by visiting leaders has been referred to the Procedure Committee.
Liberal Senate leader Simon Birmingham rose to agree with Senator Wong and said regarding Senator Thorpe that it was not about her views, but how she went about expressing them.
“The disruptive, disorderly and disrespectful approach that reflected so poorly upon all senators and this chamber and brought us into disrepute,” Senator Birmingham said.
“That is why it is worthy and warranted of censure.”
Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi defended Senator Thorpe, however, saying it was a disgrace she was being censured for telling the truth.
“I thought we still lived in a democracy,” Senator Faruqi said.
“We have a right to protest, we have a right to dissent. We have a right to disrupt and that’s what Senator Thorpe did.
“But you want to police black women.”
Senator Thorpe was initially not in the chamber during the censure debate, her flight to Canberra having been delayed. However, she arrived partway through and interjected saying the senators should all be ashamed of themselves.
She issued a lengthy statement in response to the censure.
“This motion shows where the major parties priorities lie,” Senator Thorpe wrote.
“They don’t stand with First Peoples in this country.
“They stand against justice for our people, preferring instead to defend a foreign king rather than listen to the truth.”
The censure motion against Senator Thorpe passed 46 votes to 12.
Outside the chamber, the Senator ripped up her notice of censure in front of TV cameras.
Senator Babet was not in the chamber for his censure.
The motion against him read that the Senate:
(a) censures Senator Babet for his inflammatory use of hate speech, designed to drive division for his own political benefit
(b) assures all Australians that no matter their race, religion, gender, sex, or sexuality that they are valued, welcome members of our society
(c) affirms that, if parliament is to be a safe place for all who work and visit here, there can be no tolerance for hate speech in the course of parliamentarians’ public debate, and
(d) calls on all senators to engage in debates and commentary respectfully, and to refrain from inflammatory and divisive comments, both inside and outside the chamber, at all times.
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