Anthony Albanese in ‘racist and misogynistic’ bid to silence me: Lidia Thorpe
Lidia Thorpe says Anthony Albanese’s suggestion she should ‘get some help’ is a ‘continuation of a racist and misogynistic narrative’ used to silence Indigenous people.
Lidia Thorpe says Anthony Albanese’s suggestion she should “get some help” is a “continuation of a racist and misogynistic narrative” used to silence Indigenous people.
The independent Indigenous senator also claimed she was “harassed by racists” last Sunday when she was filmed leaving a strip club at 3am, and the media had mischaracterised the incident.
Senator Thorpe has been embroiled in controversy after she was captured on video yelling profanities and accusing men of having small penises while she was leaving a Brunswick strip club while celebrating a friend’s 50th birthday.
Senator Thorpe was banned from the club for life after footage showing her shouting obscenities was broadcast by the media.
“On Saturday night I was provoked and stood up for myself,” Senator Thorpe said in statement on Thursday. “No one was hurt. The story should be about the racists brazenly harassing a senator. The story is that I can’t go out without being harassed by racists. This is the racism Blak people deal with everyday in this colony.”
But Senator Thorpe’s father Roy Illingworth on Thursday said she was “a very racist person against white people” and thought she had been swept up in power since the election.
“I think she‘s a very racist person against white people,” Mr Illingworth told Sky News.
“Normally she never used to be like that … maybe the power has gone to her head I don’t know.”
The comments come after the Prime Minister condemned her behaviour and expressed concern she may have health issues, with Mr Albanese telling 2SM radio her recent disruptive behaviour had become a trend.
Senator Thorpe claimed to have been “pulverised” by police in March after she attempted to disrupt a rally at Parliament House. She also tried to block Sydney’s Mardi Gras Parade by lying on the ground in front of a float.
“I hope that Lidia gets some support. I think that level of behaviour is quite clearly unacceptable. And I think there are obvious issues that need to be dealt with in terms of her health issues. These are not the actions of anyone who should be participating in society in a normal way, let alone a senator,” Mr Albanese told 2SM.
“And Lidia needs to be very conscious of the way in which this behaviour has been seen. They are repeat exercises now.”
Senator Thorpe also compared her experience “standing up to racism” to AFL great Adam Goodes and former Collingwood player Héritier Lumumba.
“There is a history of white men in power using the media to attack and demonise Blak people that stand up to racism,” Senator Thorpe said.
“They did the same thing to Adam Goodes and Heritier Lumumba when they called out racism. Saying I need ‘mental help’ is a continuation of the old racist and misogynistic narrative used to discredit and silence outspoken and strong women, particularly Blak women.”
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