By South China Morning Post | Created at 2024-10-21 07:01:32 | Updated at 2024-10-21 09:28:25
2 hours ago
An indigenous senator told Britain’s King Charles that Australia is not his land and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the monarch is not needed as the country’s head of state as the British royal visited Australia’s parliament on Monday.
Indigenous independent Senator Lidia Thorpe was escorted out of a parliamentary reception for the royal couple after shouting that British colonisers have taken indigenous land and bones.
“You committed genocide against our people,” she shouted. “Give us what you stole from us – our bones, our skulls, our babies, our people. You destroyed our land. Give us a treaty. We want a treaty.”
The king spoke quietly with Prime Minister Albanese while security officials stopped Senator Thorpe from approaching.
“This is not your land. You are not my king,” Thorpe yelled as she was ushered from the hall.
Albanese, who wants the country to become a republic with an Australian head of state, also told the king it was time for his role to end.
