Moment where ‘Blak Sovereign’ elder lashes out at a journalist as Lidia Thorpe makes her plea to vote ‘No’ surrounded by her effortlessly cool support crew: ‘How dare you insult us’
- Journalist addressed by Blak Sovereign Movement member
- She was comforted by Senator Lidia Thorpe during the conference
Tempers flared at a press conference given by Lidia Thorpe to justify her decision to vote ‘no’ to a referendum on the Voice to Parliament.
The independent senator was flanked by members of the Blak Sovereign Movement, including her former media adviser Jennetta Quinn-Bates sporting striking ‘No’ sunglasses, as she declared, “The Voice is in violation of our old protocols.”
“We never agreed to be ruled by the colonial Australian government…we are not surrendering now. The Voice is just a vehicle for unwanted constitutional recognition.’
A question posed by a reporter about Ms. Thorpe’s affiliation with the Pay the Rent group prompted a strong response from an elder on her team who shouted, “How dare you?”
“How dare you insult us while we talk about our future? How dare you insult us,’ the woman yelled.
The woman was comforted by Ms. Thorpe when fellow elder Fred Hooper stepped forward to answer the question on behalf of the senator – which was about the “Pay the Rent” initiative.
Mrs. Thorpe said, “This is what we’re dealing with.”
She also warned Fred Hooper not to “lapse” into the question asked.
Tempers flared at a press conference by Lidia Thorpe justifying her decision to vote ‘no’ on the Voice to Parliament
Jennetta Quinn-Bates was among the group, wearing black tinted ‘No’ sunglasses. At one point she whispered in Mrs. Thorpe’s ear before proceeding to answer the question
“The Commonwealth government has poured millions of dollars into the Yes campaign. We don’t know if there is a No campaign. We just say no because we are sovereign nations that disagree with the vote,” Ms Thorpe said.
Senator Thorpe, as well as her sister, uncle and grandmother all have some ties to the ‘Pay the Rent’ collective, which has been giving donated money to the grassroots since its inception in the 1970s.
When answering questions about her family’s continued role in the collective, and whether it would donate to the No campaign, Senator Thorpe brushed off the journalist, saying instead that it was set up to “address the consequences of genocide.” catch’.
“With all due respect, you’re one of those journalists who throws me in front of the bus all the time,” she said.
Mrs Quinn-Bates then whispered in Mrs Thorpe’s ear, before proceeding to answer the question.
“I have no bank account details, I have never signed a bank account. You will need to contact the Pay the Rent crew.’
The ‘Pay the Rent’ movement wants homeowners to voluntarily pay a percentage of their income to Aboriginal elders, without government oversight or intervention.
Thomas Mayo, a signatory to the Uluru Declaration from the Heart and architect of the vote to parliament, said the proposed advisory body, if passed in a referendum at the end of this year, could be a stepping stone to reparations.
The ‘Pay the Rent’ movement wants homeowners to voluntarily pay a percentage of their income to Aboriginal elders without government oversight or intervention
Pictured: A member of Senator Thorpe’s crew wearing “No” sunglasses
He made the remark in a video published by Search Foundation, a left-wing think tank that markets itself as the successor to the Communist Party of Australia.
Mr Mayo spoke of the Uluru Declaration from the heart, some two years before the Albanian government announced it would hold a referendum on a First Nations Voice – an Aboriginal body with the power to propose amendments to any bills that affect the indigenous population.
“This is the first step, it’s an essential step and it puts all the explanation behind it. For example, pay the rent, how do we do that in a way that is transparent and actually sees reparations and compensation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people beyond what we say and do in a meeting?’
Elsewhere, Mayo said politicians would be “punished” if they ignored the advisory body’s advice.
