Lingiari candidate Chris Tomlins doubles down on anti-Zionist comments that led to split with Greens

The Indigenous Aboriginal Party of Australia is standing by its candidate, claiming he was mistreated by the Greens and his comments ‘should not be controversial at all’.

A federal election hopeful has doubled down on anti-Zionist comments that forced him to bow out of last year’s Northern Territory election race.

The Indigenous Aboriginal Party of Australia (IAPA) has stood by its Lingiari candidate, Peltherre Chris Tomlins, and said it was “appalled by the stifling of free speech” over his “completely fair comment”.

An Arrernte and Warlpiri elder, Mr Tomlins moved to the IAPA this election after contesting the two most recent Territory elections on the Greens ticket.

Mr Tomlins stepped down as the Greens candidate for Araluen in March last year, amid outcry over a social media post he shared in September 2023.

In the post caption Mr Tomlins said Australia’s government should not be “owned” by “Zionist or co-operations (sic)”, and called for people to vote No to the Voice.

The post also labelled Referendum Council co-chair Mark Leibler a Zionist, questioning his influence over the referendum process.

Mr Leibler is national chair of the Australia/Israel and Jewish Affairs Council, former president of the Zionist Federation of Australia, and has been a longtime advocate for Indigenous rights – including his work on the Voice referendum and as former Reconcilitation Australia co-chair.

Zionism is a nationalist movement that advocates for a homeland for Jewish people in the Biblical land of Israel, and was a driving ideology behind the creation of the Israeli state in 1948.

Arrernte/Warlpiri man Peltherre Chris Tomlins. Photo: EMMA MURRAY

Speaking to the NT News this week, Mr Tomlins restated the views that saw him fall out with the Greens, arguing that no one with Zionist beliefs should have been involved in developing the Uluru Statement from the Heart, or other reconciliation initiatives.

“I’m anti-Zionist, of course,” Mr Tomlins said.

“I don’t agree with the Statement from the Heart being written by someone like that, because it’s not the blackfellas point of view … I’d be more comfortable with a white Australian in that spot, than a Zionist.

“Why are you supporting Zionists running our country, (or the) Aboriginal reconciliation council?”

Mr Tomlins rejected any accusations of antisemitism and said he stood with other oppressed people.

He said he opposed the Voice because he did not want to be part of a system and constitution that failed to recognise Indigenous sovereignty.

Peltherre Chris Tomlins at the anti-fracking demonstration in Darwin. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

The Indigenous Aboriginal Party of Australia said it stood “shoulder to shoulder” with Mr Tomlins, and that the post shared by Mr Tomlins “should not be controversial at all”.

“The IAPA is very disappointed that the Greens let themselves be swayed by an orchestrated smear campaign,” party volunteer Jonathan Cookson said.

“The IAPA is appalled by the lack of respect shown to Mr Tomlins during that time and saddened by the effect it had on him.

“Unlike the major parties, the IAPA does not run scared and throw its candidates under the bus at the slightest whiff of smoke from an imaginary fire conjured up by the media.”

In a statement the NT Greens said Mr Tomlins’ views shared on social media did not reflect the party’s views, and that candidates for public office must be held to a high standard.

Originally published as Lingiari candidate Chris Tomlins doubles down on anti-Zionist comments that led to split with Greens