Australian Senate condemns senator for heckling King Charles III
Kyiv • UNN
The Australian Senate voted to convict Aboriginal Senator Lydia Thorpe, who publicly opposed King Charles III. The vote of no confidence deprived her of the right to represent the House in delegations.
Australian lawmakers have voted to condemn an Aboriginal senator who heckled King Charles III during his visit to Canberra last month to express her "deep disapproval" of her protest, UNN reports citing the BBC.
Details
Lydia Thorpe shouted "you are not my king" and "this is not your land" shortly after the King spoke in the Great Hall of Parliament, trying to emphasize the consequences of British colonization.
The Senate's condemnation, passed by a 46-12 vote, characterized Thorpe's actions as "disrespectful and disruptive," and said she should be barred from representing the chamber as a member of any delegation.
The vote of no confidence is politically symbolic, but has no constitutional or legal weight.
Shortly after the Senate vote on Monday, Thorpe told reporters that she was denied the right to speak on the floor because of a flight delay.
"The British crown has committed heinous crimes against the indigenous peoples of this country... I will not remain silent," the independent senator said.
Her protest last month immediately drew anger from political circles, as well as some prominent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders.
But it also received praise from some activists who argued that it highlights the plight of Australia's first people, who survived colonial violence and still face serious disadvantages in terms of health, well-being, education and life expectancy compared to non-indigenous Australians.
Despite the protest, the king was warmly welcomed by Australian crowds during his five-day tour with Queen Camilla.
Last year, Australia strongly rejected a proposal to grant Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples constitutional recognition and to allow them to establish a body to advise Parliament on issues affecting their community.
