An Aboriginal senator in Australia told Britain’s King Charles III on Monday (21 October) that Australia is not his land, and King Charles was protested during a visit to the Australian parliament.
According to the latest report, Senator Lidia Thorpe was escorted away after shouting that British colonisers had taken the land and remains of Aboriginal people at a parliamentary reception for the royal couple, the Associated Press reported.
‘You have committed genocide against our people,’ she shouted. ‘Give us back what you stole from us – our remains, our skulls, our babies, our people. You destroyed our land. Give us the treaty. We want treaties.’
There was never any treaty between the British colonisers and the Australian Aborigines.
King Charles was whispering with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese when security prevented Thorpe from approaching. ‘This is not your land. You are not my king,’ Thorpe continued to shout as he was escorted out of the hall.
Thorpe is known for her high-profile protests, and when she was sworn in as a senator in 2022, she attempted to call the then monarch ‘Queen Elizabeth II of the Colonials’ but was not allowed to do so. She also briefly stopped a police parade at Sydney’s Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras last year by lying down in front of it. In the same year, she was also banned for life from a Melbourne strip club after a video surfaced of her verbally abusing male patrons.
What is the connection between British colonisers and Australian Aborigines?
The connection between the British colonisers and the Aboriginal people of Australia can be traced back to the late 18th century, with 1788 specifically being a significant turning point. In this year, the first British colony was established in Australia, initially as a location for convict exiles, marking the formal appropriation of Aboriginal land. The Aborigines had lived on the land for tens of thousands of years prior to this, developing a rich culture, language and social structure.
The arrival of the colonisers had a profound effect on the Aboriginal people. Initially, the British lacked an understanding of the Aboriginal way of life, believing that their land could be easily appropriated and exploited. The ensuing land-grabbing, resource deprivation and spread of infectious diseases led to a significant decline in the Aboriginal population and the destruction of their culture and social structure. In addition, the colonial government implemented a number of policies in an attempt to assimilate the Aboriginal people and weaken their culture and identity. For example, many Aboriginal children were forcibly removed from their families and sent to ‘white’ homes or boarding schools in order to erase their Aboriginal identity.
In the process, there were many clashes between the Aborigines and the colonisers, and many groups of Aborigines were forced to resist; however, due to the disparity in weapons and technology, the resistance often failed, resulting in the loss of more land and the extinction of their culture. Despite this, Aboriginal people have remained resilient in maintaining their traditions and culture, demonstrating their strength within a society that has often marginalized them.
In recent years, the Australian community has begun to gradually recognise the history and rights of Aboriginal people, promoting efforts to reconcile and rebuild relationships. This includes recognising Aboriginal land rights, protecting their cultural heritage, and promoting education and socio-economic development. The Australian Government and the community are also actively working to improve relations with Aboriginal people with a view to achieving a more just and equitable future.
Overall, the relationship between the British colonisers and the Aboriginal people of Australia was complex and deep, full of conflict and misunderstanding, but over time it is gradually moving towards understanding and respect.
King’s welcome speech
Prime Minister Albanese, who wants Australia to be a republic with its own head of state, alluded to the issue in his welcome speech to King Charles.
Albanese said, ‘You have always shown great respect for the Australian people, even during periods when we were discussing our constitutional future and our relationship with the Crown.’ But he added, ‘Nothing will remain static.’
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, who wants the King of England to remain as Australia’s monarch, said many Republican supporters were also honoured to attend the reception for Charles and Queen Camilla at Parliament House in Canberra.
‘People have had their haircuts, their shoes polished, their suits ironed and that’s just the republican dress,’ Dutton joked.
However, all six of Australia’s state governments declined invitations to the reception, saying they had more pressing matters, and while they all said they had other business to attend to, monarchists saw it as a snub to the royal family.
Charles opened his speech by thanking Canberra Aboriginal elder Auntie Violet Sheridan for the traditional welcome given to the King and Queen.
Charles said, ‘Let me also express my deep gratitude for this morning’s moving “Welcome to the Land” ceremony, which provided me with the opportunity to honour the traditional owners of the land we are on, the Ngunnawal people ( Ngunnawal people) and all the Aboriginal peoples who have lived and cared for this continent for 65,000 years.’
In 1999, Australia decided by referendum to retain Elizabeth II as head of state. The result is widely believed to have been due to disagreement over how to choose a president, rather than widespread support for the monarchy.
