During King Charles’ recent visit to the Australian parliament, Indigenous Senator Lidia Thorpe made headlines by loudly protesting against colonialism.
Thorpe interrupted as the King addressed the assembled lawmakers, shouting, "Give us our land back! Give us what you stole from us!" She passionately declared,
“This is not your land, you are not my king,” while condemning the historical treatment of Indigenous Australians, which she referred to as “genocide” by European settlers.
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Australia, once a British colony for over a century, witnessed the displacement and deaths of thousands of Aboriginal Australians during colonial rule. Although the country gained partial independence in 1901, it remains a constitutional monarchy with King Charles as the head of state.
Thorpe, a vocal monarchy critic known for her bold political actions, has previously made similar statements. In 2022, during her swearing-in ceremony, she raised her right fist and altered the traditional oath of allegiance to Queen Elizabeth II, calling her the “colonizing” queen. Senate officials swiftly corrected her.
King Charles is on a nine-day tour of Australia and Samoa, his first major trip abroad since being diagnosed with cancer earlier this year.
Australia remains divided over its connection to the British monarchy. A 1999 referendum narrowly rejected the idea of becoming a republic, while a 2023 vote to amend the constitution and create an Indigenous advisory body was also defeated.
