Elder’s embarrassment at Thorpe outburst

By PETER ROWE

A senior Ngunnawal Elder who attended the visit of King Charles III to Canberra has spoken to media about Independent Senator Lidia Thorpe’s protest, describing it as ‘disrespectful and rude’.

Aunty Violet Sheridan, who had been asked by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to give the Welcome to Country, was sitting on the stage with the royals when Senator Thorpe staged her intervention.

“It was fabulous right up until that incident,” she told media. “I thought she was disrespectful and out of line. She does not speak for me or my family.

“I did the official Welcome to Country in the Great Hall. I was asked by the Prime Minister to come along as I am a senior elder in the Ngunnawal community. These are our ancestral lands. This is my mother’s country.

Senator Thorpe is ushered away by security staff.

“I was on the stage sitting just beyond the Prime Minister and it absolutely frightened the life out of me. I didn’t expect it and I am sure no-one else was expecting it. Someone later told me she did the same at the war memorial earlier.

“He is a guest of ours and she is a senator, for goodness sake. It was out of place. She hasn’t done it for a little while and I am very disappointed she to chose to do it. If she did it at the war memorial then why repeat that act again. She’s already made the point.”

Aunty Violet said she hoped this would not happen again.

“I hope we fix this up before our next generation comes through. Hopefully people see it for what it is. A one-off idiot.”

Senator Thorpe came close to being arrested earlier in the day while protesting the visit of the King and Queen Camilla.

A confrontation with police took place at a protest outside the Australian War Memorial and Senator Thorpe was arguing with a police officer.