During King Charles III‘s historic trip to Australia, Indigenous Senator Lidia Thorpe’s angry and controversial speech in Parliament made the news. As Thorpe yelled “f*** the colony” and “you are not my king” — he cut the King off in the middle of his speech to protest colonialism and demand that Indigenous land be returned. Her angry rant, in which she accused people of genocide and called for treaties— got both praise and criticism, making her an even more divisive figure in Australian politics.
Who is Lydia Thorpe?
Lidia Thorpe is a well-known Indigenous Australian politician and activist who has done and said things in the past that have caused controversy. Thorpe was born on August 18, 1973, and comes from Gunnai-Gunditjmara and Djab Wurrung families. She is a strong supporter of Indigenous rights and sovereignty. She became the first Aboriginal woman elected to Victoria’s Legislative Assembly in 2017 and started her political career there. In 2020, she became a member of the Greens party and moved to the Australian Senate.
A treaty with Australia’s First Nations people, land restitution, and self-determination are some of the issues that Thorpe has fought for in the public eye for a long time. People often notice how outspoken she is. For example, when she entered Parliament and mocked the oath of allegiance by calling Queen Elizabeth II a “coloniser” and raising a Black Power salute, she got a lot of attention. This act alone showed how she was against what she sees as the effects of colonialism still being felt today.
A number of well-known events have marked Thorpe’s political career. She had to quit her job as deputy leader of the Greens in the Senate in 2022. Because she didn’t tell anyone about her relationship with Dean Martin— a former leader of a biker gang. This scandal made people wonder about how honest she was and how she made political decisions.
Her rants aren’t just about what’s going on in parliament. Thorpe tried to break through a podium at a Parliament House rally in March 2023 — showing how committed she was to protest politics. She has also been in the news for less formal outbursts, like a swearing rant at a strip club in Melbourne, where she was caught on camera yelling obscenities at customers. This has added to her reputation as a controversial figure.
Thorpe is an activist who does more than just symbolic things. She has always pushed for a treaty between the Australian government and Indigenous peoples, believing it is the only way to make up for wrongs done in the past. It has been said that treaty ends the war. “It’s when we come together to negotiate how we can live alongside each other, peacefully.”
Many Australians agree with Thorpe that Indigenous peoples deserve justice, but her methods often make people disagree. Some people say she’s just trying to show off and cause trouble, but others admire how brave she is to challenge the status quo and fight for Indigenous sovereignty. Her fight with King Charles III is the most recent in a string of actions meant to shake up Australia’s government.
Australia is still dealing with its colonial past and the ongoing debate over Indigenous rights. People like Lidia Thorpe are very important in shaping the national conversation. Thorpe has had a huge impact on Australian politics and it doesn’t matter if you see her as a radical disruptor or a necessary voice of resistance.
Senator Lidia Thorpe is still a controversial figure whose political activism challenges Australia’s political norms. Thorpe has made a name for herself as a brave, if controversial— supporter of Indigenous rights through her public outbursts against colonial symbols and her personal scandals. Her fight with King Charles III not long ago makes her political legacy even more complicated.
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