Coalition fury over Thorpe’s claim she swore allegiance to Queen’s ‘hairs’

The Coalition is seeking legal advice on the consequences of independent senator Lidia Thorpe revealing she deliberately misspoke during her Oath of Allegiance when being sworn in as an MP in 2022.

Thorpe has come under intense scrutiny this week after yelling at King Charles III on Monday during his visit to Parliament House in Canberra, telling him “you are not our king”. On Wednesday, she revealed that when swearing her allegiance to Queen Elizabeth II upon becoming a senator, she deliberately misspoke when saying “Queen’s heirs”.

Senator Lidia Thorpe disrupts proceedings as King Charles III and Queen Camilla attend a parliamentary reception.Credit: Getty Images

“If you listen close enough, it was ‘her hairs’, not ‘her heirs’ that I was giving my allegiance to and now that they are no longer here, I don’t know where that stands. I’m not giving up my job, I’m not resigning,” Thorpe told ABC TV on Wednesday.

Asked to confirm if she made no valid affirmation to faithfully bear true allegiance to the monarch, Thorpe confirmed that was the case.

“Look, it is no secret. I don’t like the King and what he represents, and I don’t like the fact that I have got to swear to an oppressor to do my job, to get justice for my people,” she said.

In a statement, Senate opposition leader Simon Birmingham said Thorpe’s revelation called into question her eligibility to participate in the proceedings of the Senate.

“Section 42 of the Constitution requires that a senator make and subscribe the oath or affirmation before taking the senator’s seat in the Senate. A senator must therefore be sworn in before sitting in the Senate or participating in its proceedings,” he said.

“The Coalition will explore options and consider legal opinions as to the implications of Senator Thorpe’s admission.”

Thorpe was forced to redo her swearing-in August 2022 when the 47th parliament began, as the then-Greens senator added to her oath that she swore allegiance to the “colonising Queen”.

Thorpe’s dislike for the Crown was again on show when she strode through the Great Hall after the King’s speech on Monday to tell him she did not accept his sovereignty and accused him of shared responsibility for genocide.

Images of Thorpe walking towards the King appeared on the front pages of the London Telegraph, The Guardian and The Daily Express. The incident was also reported by the BBC, The New York Times and The Washington Post.

Members of the Coalition slammed Thorpe’s conduct as Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said she should resign.

Several Liberals confirmed to this masthead on Tuesday they were considering a censure motion, however Coalition home affairs spokesman James Paterson and Birmingham both warned censuring Thorpe would give her more airtime.

A censure registers the Senate’s disapproval but carries no practical consequence.

Thorpe responded by saying she did not care if her stunts ended her parliamentary career and declared people must “get used to truth-telling”.

“I’m in this job for another 3½ years, and I’m not looking to be re-elected. I’m looking to get justice for my people,” Thorpe told ABC TV on Tuesday.

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