Lidia Thorpe vows to fight for truth telling in first interview since quitting Greens

New independent senator Lidia Thorpe has revealed she has never been invited to attend the referendum working group, despite the federal government extending invitations to members of the opposition and the teal independents.

Prior to yesterday, the DjabWurrung Gunnai Gunditjmara woman was the Greens’ First Nations spokeswoman.

In an her first interview since quitting the party, Senator Thorpe told ABC News she was disappointed in the government’s handling of the referendum working group.

She also took aim at the parliament for not offering her enough protection and expressed an interest in meeting King Charles.

“I question the government and the prime minister as to why Peter Dutton was invited to meet with the working groups, and not the grassroots Black sovereign movement,” Senator Thorpe said.

“‘I’ve never been invited. I’ll put that out there to the prime minister and the minister for indigenous Australians that the black sovereignty grass roots movement want to meet with the two advisory groups.”

Earlier today, Senator Thorpe took her new seat as an independent senator, a role in which she plans to advance the Black sovereign movement.

She split from the federal Greens over her stance on the Voice to Parliament, which the Greens late last night announced they would support.

Leader Adam Bandt has said Senator Thorpe had the freedom within the party to vote against the Voice, but she says she wants to be “unconstrained” by party politics.

“We have a mandate from black grassroots movements around this country to bring some more truth to this place, and not be held back by party lines or consensus around the party room table,” Senator Thorpe said.

“My party room now, the Elders and activists out there from the Black sovereign movement.

“I will be announcing some plans in the coming weeks to bring more people to the table and allow those sovereign people to have a say.”

The senator has faced criticism for her decision leave the Greens with more than five years left on her Senate term.

But she said her decision was an expression of sovereignty.

“If you’re a true ally, and you believe in Aboriginal people having a say in this country, then stop demonising me for the decisions that I’m making, based on a grassroots collective of sovereign black people,” Senator Thorpe said.

She said she’s faced a constant barrage of threats during her time in parliament.

“I think that the parliament failed to protect me. If we go back to Jan (January) 26 last year, I’ve had the far right threaten me. There’s been subsequent threats publicly by this far right terrorist group,” Senator Thorpe said.

“I think that that’s just the reality of what it’s like for a black woman in a public space who’s got some power.

“The Greens protected me in the best way that they could.

“It always had to be referred to the Australian Federal Police, which need to come back to me and give me some better updates on what’s going on with my safety.”

Keen to meet King Charles

Senator Thorpe also revealed she hoped to meet with King Charles and advocated to him directly for progress on treaty between the Commonwealth and First Nations people.

“I really want to meet with the King,” she said.

“We need a treaty. It’s his ancestors that caused this pain and I’m happy to sit down and negotiate.”

Senator Thorpe replaced former Greens leader Richard Di Natale as a Victorian senator in 2020.

She won a six-year term last year, which will expire in 2028.

She told the ABC she would spend the remainder of the term being a “voice” for the Black sovereign movement and didn’t expect to recontest her seat. 

“I’m 50 this year and in five and a half years, I’ll be 55 and a half,” Senator Thorpe told the ABC..

“If you look at our life expectancy for black women, particularly, how many black activists who have held the front line all of their life, live a long life?

“I’m happy to do my five and a half years and do as much as I can for my people.”