The British King, Charles, faced harsh criticism from an Australian senator during his recent royal visit to Australia. Senator Lidia Thorpe openly expressed her discontent by confronting King Charles in a public meeting at the Australian Parliament House, located in Canberra, making claims of past genocide against Australia’s indigenous population.
Despite the significant speech made by Charles at the Parliament House, Thorpe chose to vocally criticise him at the end, making her views known. Charles and Camilla also experienced subtle demonstrations of opposition from advocates for indigenous rights during their Australian tour that started Monday. These demonstrators have repeatedly displayed a banner with the directive “decolonise” across several events.
Thorpe, who was cautiously escorted out of the room, was heard proclaiming, “you are not our king, you are not sovereign… you have committed genocide against our people.” She claimed ownership over the land and demanded the return of stolen possessions and rights. She persistently requested a contractual agreement, a treaty with the nation; insisting that the British monarch was not their ruler.
This public outburst from an elected member is anticipated to be seen as a humiliation to King Charles on his inaugural visit as King to Australia. Thorpe, an independent member of the Australian parliament’s upper house, had released a statement before the King’s arrival asserting the unceded sovereignty of First Peoples, criticizing the Crown for invading the country and accusing it of not seeking a treaty or acknowledging the alleged genocide.
However, the King is reported to have remained unperturbed by the incident and did not let it dampen the rest of his visit which included greeting hundreds of enthusiastic fans at the national war memorial, including an alpaca that sneezed. Earlier in the day, a significant crowd had gathered outside Australia’s parliament house in the hopes of seeing the royal couple.
Anthony Albanese, Prime Minister of Australia, has long desired to conduct a referendum to cut ties with the British monarchy, aiming for Australia’s transition to a republic. However, these intentions have been sidelined following a referendum last year in which Australians largely negated a proposal aimed at enhancing political rights for the country’s indigenous population.
The conversation was overshadowed by other events, as Charles talked warmly about his personal connection with Australia. He first visited the country in his teenage years, portraying his arrival as an “adolescent” and his return with a more “sophisticated” perspective gained from his studies in the Outback.
Charles also acknowledged the long-standing debt he feels toward Australia’s indigenous communities. In his words, he stated: “During my numerous trips to Australia, I have observed the bravery and optimism that has steered the nation’s considerable and sometimes challenging journey towards agreement. Throughout my life, the First Nations people of Australia have bestowed upon me the honour of generously sharing their narratives and cultures. I must acknowledge how profoundly my own experiences have been moulded and bolstered by such traditional wisdom.” – PA