Australian lawmakers have voted to censure Aboriginal senator Lidia Thorpe for heckling King Charles during his visit to Canberra last month, marking their “profound disapproval” of her protest.
The motion, passed by a 46-12 majority in the Senate, described Thorpe’s actions as “disrespectful and disruptive,” deeming them incompatible with her role in representing the chamber as part of any delegation.
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Thorpe interrupted the King’s address in the Great Hall of Parliament, shouting, “You are not my King” and “This is not your land,” to highlight the ongoing impacts of British colonization. Despite the censure, which is symbolic and carries no legal consequence, Thorpe stood by her actions.
Speaking to reporters after the Monday vote, she criticized the process, citing a flight delay that denied her the opportunity to respond in the chamber. “The British Crown committed heinous crimes against the first peoples of this country… I will not be silent,” she said.
Thorpe’s protest sparked widespread criticism from across the political spectrum and some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders. However, it also garnered support from activists who saw it as a powerful spotlight on the historical and contemporary disadvantages faced by Indigenous Australians, including poorer health outcomes, lower life expectancy, and systemic inequality.
King Charles, who was warmly received during his five-day tour with Queen Camilla, refrained from addressing the controversy directly. In an official address, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese acknowledged the King’s approach, stating, “You have shown great respect for Australians, even during times when we have debated the future of our constitutional arrangements and the nature of our relationship with the crown.”
Thorpe, a Gunnai, Gunditjmara, and Djab Wurrung woman, has a long history of activism. In 2022, during her swearing-in ceremony, she referred to Queen Elizabeth II as a “colonizer” and was required to retake her oath.
The censure comes in the wake of Australia’s rejection of the Voice referendum last year, which sought constitutional recognition for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and proposed the creation of an advisory body to parliament. While polling indicates most Indigenous Australians supported the referendum, Thorpe was a prominent “No” campaigner, dismissing the proposal as tokenistic. The divisive outcome has left uncertainty surrounding future Indigenous policy initiatives.
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