Lidia Thorpe, a senator from Victoria, ignited a firestorm of controversy following her remarks at a pro-Palestine rally held in Melbourne. At that gathering, she provocatively promised to “burn down Parliament House to get attention.” This statement has been roundly condemned by almost every former senior political appointee of both parties and led to extraordinary debate over what it means.
With those comments, Thorpe sought to raise awareness about the plight of Palestinian people in Gaza. Her goal was to make comparisons with the current state of Indigenous Australians. It’s her incendiary language that has raised the biggest alarm bells with lawmakers and the public, not to mention her staff themselves. Her remarks have drawn widespread condemnation for risking fueling violence and hatred in an already combustible political environment.
Political Reactions
Boy, has the reaction to Thorpe’s comments been quick and brutal. Labor frontbencher Amanda Rishworth defended Thorpe’s right to protest, but said that her comments were “unacceptable”.
“People have the right to protest, but it must be done in a respectful way. And of course, any comments that inflame violence and hatred are inappropriate,” – Amanda Rishworth
Deputy Liberal leader Ted O’Brien described Thorpe’s statement as “absolutely appalling,” emphasizing the need for responsible discourse from elected officials. Barnaby Joyce, one such Nationals backbencher, radioed his support. His voice joined others to call for a very public and strongly-worded condemnation of Thorpe’s comments.
“Of course in the Senate you can move a motion condemning what she’s done and it will be interesting to see whether the Labor Party support it,” – Barnaby Joyce
The Australian government today is reportedly on the brink of moving to censure Thorpe for her statements. This decision indicates how serious they think this incident is.
Upcoming Meetings to Address Concerns
eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman-Grant has been preparing for a big showdown with social media heavyweights. More importantly, though, she hopes to prevent the possible fallout from Thorpe’s statement. This convening will explore what the platforms have to do to respond to bad, inflammatory content at scale. We’ll discuss efforts to counteract the dangers of online hate incitement.
Her goal is to make sure they’re prepared for Australia’s future, inevitable social media ban. Conversations are sure to center on how to deal with the fallout from Thorpe’s comments and prevent a recurrence of incidents like this in the future.
Broader Implications
Without doubt, Lidia Thorpe’s recent remarks have caused an outcry. This collision highlights the need for protecting political free speech while eliminating misleading political speech. As tensions rise over various social issues, the government faces mounting pressure to ensure that political discourse remains constructive rather than divisive.
Labor’s Tanya Plibersek rightfully called for an end to spreading Thorpe’s rhetoric. She reminded us that we should not reward individuals who want us to react by leading with click-baiting headlines.
“That’s a matter to be decided down the track but truly the last thing I want to be doing is promoting her or giving her the attention she so desperately craves,” – Tanya Plibersek
The story isn’t over. It is far from it as lawmakers respond to the dangers of running afoul of widespread public opinion and a hostile media climate. How events unfold in the next few months will be crucial in determining future debates over freedom of speech and the conduct expected of Australian elected representatives.
