Lidia Thorpe shrugs off Dutton’s call to resign, saying she’s looking for ‘justice’ not re-election

Independent senator Lidia Thorpe has dismissed demands from conservative critics for her to step down from parliament following her disruption of a gathering for King Charles. She confidently stated, “I’m not focused on being re-elected – my goal is to pursue justice for my people.”

In a conversation on Radio National, Thorpe announced, "I'll be around for another three years, everyone. So just be prepared for honesty."

Calls for the Senate to reprimand her following her outburst on Monday, when she shouted “screw the colony” and “you’re not my king” at an event in Parliament House, may not last long, as a senior member of the Coalition downplayed the idea on Tuesday.

However, independent senator from Victoria, Thorpe, has issued an apology following her comments about a staff member sharing a cartoon depicting King Charles being beheaded on her Instagram Story.

Opposition leader Peter Dutton has called for Thorpe to step down from her role in parliament after her recent prominent protest on Monday. During an event honoring King Charles and Queen Camilla, Thorpe, who identifies as a Gunnai, Gunditjmara, and Djab Wurrung Indigenous woman, faced away from the national anthem. She then went up to the stage and shouted, "this is not your country."

“You carried out a massacre against our community. Return our land to us. Restore what you took from us – our ancestors, our remains, our children, our people,” she exclaimed, before security escorted her out of the venue.

In an interview with Channel Seven's Sunrise program, Dutton stated, "I believe there's a solid case for someone who doesn't support the system yet is ready to accept a salary of $250,000 a year from that same system to step down."

"If you genuinely care about your cause rather than just focusing on your own interests, then I believe that's a choice you would consider."

"My first thought was, ‘Here we go again.’ It was completely expected, as it revolved solely around her. It doesn’t contribute to any causes she claims to care about. In the end, it’s merely a way for her to promote herself, which is why I believe it isn’t worth our attention."

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In a response to Dutton’s remarks during a Radio National interview, Thorpe mentioned, "Whenever I see him [Dutton] in parliament, he always seems to avoid me, choosing to walk the other way instead of sitting down to talk."

She dismissed any ideas about stepping down from her position and stood by her methods.

"My perspective may not sit well with everyone, but what other options do we have to communicate our message when we're constantly silenced as Black women? The voices that are often prioritized are those that fit a certain mold and speak in a pleasing manner, yet they rarely take action to advocate for justice for our community."

Thorpe stood by her choice to voice her criticisms of the king and the British monarchy in a public setting.

"His family and his kingdom bear full responsibility for the suffering my people have endured in this land. They arrived armed and ready for violence... Has he taken any action to address this? If you choose to remain silent, you are just as guilty," she stated.

"Why doesn't he express remorse on behalf of his forebears? Why doesn't he admit, 'I regret the countless massacres that have occurred in this nation, for which my ancestors and my realm bear responsibility'?"

According to The Nine newspapers, certain Liberal lawmakers are contemplating the possibility of bringing a formal reprimand against Thorpe in parliament due to her behavior.

However, Simon Birmingham, the opposition's foreign minister, seemed to downplay that possibility during a press conference in the morning.

“One of the concerns is that Lidia Thorpe might actually enjoy being reprimanded by the Senate,” said Birmingham, who is the opposition leader in the Senate.

“We need to consider our response carefully, aiming to discourage this kind of behavior moving forward, while also avoiding giving her the attention she craves for these kinds of actions.”

Clare O'Neil, the housing minister, was questioned on Radio National about whether the government would back a censure. She replied that they are keen to wait and see the exact proposals the Liberals present.

Thorpe issued an apology after a social media post, which has since been removed, showed up on her Instagram Story. The post featured a cartoon illustration of the king facing beheading.

Thorpe stated that a staff member shared it without her awareness.

In a recent post on her Instagram Story, she explained, "Earlier this evening, one of my team members shared an image on my Instagram stories without my awareness. I took it down immediately after I noticed. I would never purposefully share anything that might be interpreted as promoting violence against anyone. That’s not who I am."