Greens senator Lidia Thorpe said she is ‘here to infiltrate’ Australia’s parliament

Greens senator Lidia Thorpe said Australia’s flag does not represent her and it only represents the “colonisation” of the country.

Greens senator Lidia Thorpe said that Australia’s parliament has no permission to be here and that she’s only a member so she can “infiltrate” the institution.

Speaking on The Project, she said her entry into the “colonial project” was due to her goal to “renew the nation” and to be a voice for First Nations people.

Ms Thorpe said she also removes the Australian national flag during press conferences after Greens leader Adam Bandt was this week criticised for the same move.

“The Australian flag does not represent me or my people,” she told the panel.

“It represents the colonisation of these lands, and it has no permission to be here, there’s been no consent, there’s been no treaty, so that flag does not represent me.”

Host Waleed Aly asked if her argument could also apply to the Australian parliament in which she serves.

“Absolutely, I’m here to infiltrate,” she replied.

Greens Senator Lidia Thorpe said parliament is a colonial project which she has infiltrated.

“I signed up to become a senator in the colonial project, and that wasn’t an easy decision for me personally, and it wasn’t an easy decision for my family either to support me in this,” she continued.

“However, we need voices like this to question the illegitimate occupation of the colonial system in this country.”

Aly asked Senator Thorpe if she had given up her First Nations sovereignty by pledging allegiance to the Queen when she entered parliament.

“We have never ceded our sovereignty as First Nations people in this nation ever, ever, ever,” Senator Thorpe said of her dismissal of the national flag.

“But you’re ceding it right now by being a Senator aren’t you,” Aly said. “You’re saying ‘I submit to this, I become part of the system’. I understand that may not be your personal politics but that’s what that act means.”

Greens leader Adam Bandt has the Australian flag moved when he gave a press conference this week.

A politician has to swear an oath of allegiance to the monarch before taking their seat in parliament.

Senator Thorpe said she had to take the oath in order to get into parliament and advocate on behalf of her people.

“I am here for my people, and I will sacrifice swearing allegiance to the coloniser to get into the media like I am right now, to get into the parliament like I am every day,” she said.

“To make this country put a mirror up to itself and ask, who are we? Where do we come from and where are we going?”

Incoming Northern Territory Country Liberal Party senator Jacinta Price slammed Senator Thorpe’s comments and called for her to be dismissed from parliament.

“I think she has nothing but contempt for the Australian people and she doesn’t respect the position she is in,” Ms Price told RN Breakfast.

“I personally feel that the Governor-General should take a closer look at what her real intentions are and consider whether this is possible grounds for dismissal.

Jacinta Price has slammed the comments from Lidia Thorpe. Picture: Chloe Erlich

“She doesn’t see herself as an Australian, she doesn’t see herself as being represented by the Australian flag.

“Therefore she is not the right person to be in a position to represent the Australian people nor does it indicate she has Aus­tralia’s best interests at heart.”

Ms Price described the senator as “divisive” and “childish”.

“I think she shouldn’t be completely honest about her experience that she is of mixed heritage, like myself as well, and that she’s simply only recognised that side of her,” Ms Price said.