Lidia Thorpe says Anthony Albanese should apologise for hurt caused by Voice

Victorian Senator Lidia Thorpe says Anthony Albanese should apologise for the hurt he has caused Indigenous Australians.

Anthony Albanese must apologise to Indigenous Australians for the hurt caused by the Voice referendum, Victorian Senator Lidia Thorpe says.

The Independent senator, who on Sunday declared the defeat “a win” for the Black Sovereign Movement, also declared there was “no time” for Indigenous leaders to have a week of mourning.

Senator Thorpe said she hoped the end of the referendum would ease the death threats against her, adding she would raise concerns about her safety with government officials when parliament resumed on Monday.

Asked if she thought the Prime Minister should resign over the pain caused, she said: “I wouldn’t go that far”.

Lidia Thorpe says that Anthony Albanese should apologise. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers

“He should apologise to the people for the hurt that we knew was going to happen.”

Senator Thorpe also took aim at unnamed Indigenous leaders that called for a week of silence following the referendum defeat, saying there was “no time for a week of mourning in this country” and that the silence “only causes more harm”.

“People need to rise above all of that now and have these conversations that have been put off for far too long in this country and that is truth telling,” she said.

“I’m going to Parliament tomorrow morning, I don’t have a week of mourning available.

“I’ll continue to fight injustices that continue to happen to our people.”

Senator Thorpe said she would continue to pressure the government to act this term to prevent further deaths in custody, including the removal of hanging points, on truth telling and treaties.

“We’re doomed because there’s been inaction from governments for too long and we can turn that around right now,” she said.

Top of Senator Thorpe’s agenda when parliament resumes on Monday will be concerns about her safety, after she was most recently threatened by a neo-Nazi group.

Senator Lidia Thorpe campaigned for the No vote. Picture: Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images

“I’ve been hiding for four months. I can’t run and hide anymore. I don’t want to live that way,” she said.

“I’m a single mom and I’ve had to send my daughter away, who’s now sick because of the sickness that has occurred throughout this referendum and the violent threats that I’ve been under.

“I’m still not safe.”

The Australian Federal Police, which is responsible for protective services to federal politicians, was investigating the matter.

But Senator Thorpe said it was “a joke” after an AFP officer in March pushed her to the ground on the Parliament House lawn because she attempted to take the stage at an anti-trans protest.

She claims an AFP investigation into the officer’s conduct resulted in “nothing to see here”.

Senator Thorpe also dismissed a Greens move on Sunday to call for on the federal government to commit $250m to establish a truth and justice commission as relevance deprivation saying “where have they been”.

Asked if she would consider returning to the Greens, she said: “No way”.

“They need to focus on their internal issues with their black greens before they start telling the nation what to do,” Senator Thorpe said.

The Victorian Senator earlier on Sunday slammed Yes campaigner Marcus Stewart as a hypocrite.

Mr Stewart, who is the husband of Victorian Labor Senator Jana Stewart, on Sunday accused Peter Dutton of “kicking Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in the face” while giving his referendum victory speech.

“When he (Dutton) come out and started criticising Aboriginal activists, again, stereotyping Aboriginal people ... playing personal politics, this is bigger than that,” he said.

“Don’t call people names. Don’t continue to do the division. Let’s get to work. Because our communities and our people are suffering, that’s what’s the priority.

“Peter, stand up, lead, work with us and let’s get to work.”

Yes Vote campaigner Marcus Stewart wipes his eyes after the defeat of the Yes Vote. Picture: David Caird

Senator Thorpe said she was not defending the Opposition leader’s comments but called out the hypocrisy.

“Marcus Stewart is also politically motivated because of who his wife is and the fact that he wants to also become a Labor politician one day he told me that himself,” she said.

Senator Thorpe, who is pushing for treaty and truth telling, said their people were the only ones that could determine their own destiny.

“Marcus Stewart can’t, Megan Davis can’t, Noel Pearson can’t,” she said.