Thorpe calls out ‘silence’ on Perth attempted bombing

3 months ago The News Room

Independent senator Lidia Thorpe has called out “silence” in politics on the attempted bomb attack at Perth’s Invasion Day rally on 26 January, singling out Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the Coalition.

“The Coalition and others who were so very vocal in response to the Bondi attack, have been notably absent,” she said.

Thorpe successfully moved a Senate motion, which declared the attempt was “an attack against First Nations people is an attack against all Australians” and was co-sponsored by Indigenous Labor senators Malarndirri McCarthy, Jana Stewart and Dorinda Cox.

McCarthy condemned the attack but defended Albanese, saying she was “incredibly proud” of him for condemning the attack, and noting Labor’s recent hate speech laws.

Liberal senator Kerryne Liddle, the Opposition spokesperson fo Indigenous Australians, also condemned the attack but said her party diverged from Thorpe’s motion on language regarding racism.

“It is not appropriate to use an incident that remains under active investigation to retaliate or reignite debate about 26th of January, or to ascribe broader political meaning before the facts are established,” she said.