Lidia Thorpe cancels Q&A panel appearance due to ‘ongoing’ threats

The firebrand senator has dropped out of appearing on an ABC panel due to “ongoing threats” from a “far right Nazi terrorist organisation”.

Independent senator Lidia Thorpe has pulled out of an appearance on ABC’s Q&A panel, citing ongoing concerns over her security.

In a post made in capital letters and shared on Facebook half an hour before the program’s start, Senator Thorpe said she would not be appearing on the program because of the threats from a “Nazi terrorist organisation”.

“FTP. I AM NOT PROTECTED FROM A KNOWN FAR RIGHT NAZI TERRORIST ORGANISATION. THAT IS WHY I CANT DO Q&A TONIGHT,” she wrote.

Her comments after a suspected neo-Nazi group tagged her in a video shared a video on X, formerly known as Twitter, depicting a man in a balaclava reading a racist statement, burning an Indigenous flag, and performing a Nazi salute.

Lidia Thorpe cancelled her appearance on ABC’s Q&A half an hour before it was slated to start. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Since the video was posted earlier this month, Senator Thorpe, a Djab Wurrung Gunnai Gunditjmara woman, has been vocally critical over the response by the Australian Federal Police and Victoria Police.

Originally Senator Thorpe was set to join Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister Patrick Gorman, former foreign affairs minister Alexander Downer, Liberal Senator for Queensland James McGrath, and advertising executive and author Dee Madigan.

The panel on Monday night’s Q+A program, without Lidia Thorpe who withdrew over security concerns. Picture: ABC

Q&A host Patricia Karvelas acknowledged Senator Thorpe’s absence.

“Before we start tonight, independent senator Lidia Thorpe has informed us that she can’t attend tonight because of what she says are ongoing threats from a known terrorist organisation and has also posted that message on social media,” she said.

“Apologies for those expecting her.”

Senator Thorpe earlier in the day donned a keffiyeh, the scarf associated with Palestinian people, and addressed the Senate over the Israel-Hamas war, comparing the plight of the Palestinians in Gaza with Indigenous Australians.

Lidia Thorpe wore the Palestinian Keffiyeh in the Senate on Monday. Picture: Parliament

During the program, several of the questions were directed at Senator Thorpe, which were answered by other members of the panel.

Commenting on Senator Thorpe’s call to voice support for Palestinians, audience member and Jewish Australian Dion Shapiro said she had been “quiet about the threats faced by the Australian Jewish community”.

He also asked: “As an elected representative, shouldn’t the safety of the Australian community be your number one concern?”

Mr Shapiro said he didn’t believe there had been “full condemnation” about the protests which occurred at the Sydney Opera House on Monday night, especially from the Greens. He added that his daughter’s childcare centre are also considering whether they require protection from armed security, with Jewish schools also questioning whether students should not wear school uniforms because it “identifies them as students”.

“I’ve never felt this sort of fear in my life. I think this is probably the first time where truly the entire Jewish community is scared of what’s going to happen,” he said.

“I’m worried about my family’s safety. There was a neo-Nazi parade over the weekend that police were standing there and allowed them to get on the train.

“I think that this is not new news, but it feels like it is bubbling up to the surface a little bit more and it is a lot more visible.”

Q&A audience member Dion said safety concerns were rife in Australia’s Jewish community. Picture: ABC

Panellists than discussed whether if protesters who were not Australian citizens should be deported if they were found to be making anti-Semitic comments.

Mr Downer said he’d support the policy.

“If there are people in demonstrations who are Australian citizens, fair enough, but if there are people who are in demonstrations, who are visitors to this country, who are on visitor visas, who are inciting violence and hate, they should be kicked out of this country,” he said.

Mr Gorman also said racist and anti-Semitic behaviour was “unacceptable”.

“It is unacceptable. We don’t tolerate it. We call it out and where it breaches Australian law, we deal with it appropriately,” he said.