Australian Senator Calls Queen Elizabeth 'Colonizing' in Parliamentary Oath

Australian Greens Senator Lidia Thorpe was made to retake her oath of office in parliament on August 1, after adding the word “colonizing” to the standard text in reference to Queen Elizabeth II.

Thorpe, who is indigenous and known for her activism, held her fist in the air and said “I, sovereign Lidia Thorpe, do swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to the colonizing Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II…” before she was cut off and informed she “must recite the oath as printed on the card”.

Thorpe had previously commented on the oath on July 26, saying, “It’s 2022 and we’re swearing allegiance to a queen of another country.”

She doubled down on her message on August 1, tweeting “Sovereignty never ceded.” Credit: ParlView via Storyful

Video Transcript

- --the Affirmation of Allegiance.

- Senator Thorpe, please recite the affirmation on the card handed to you.

LIDIA THORPE: I, sovereign Lilian Thorpe, do solemnly and sincerely and firmly declare that I will be faithful and I bear true allegiance to the colonizing Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

- Senator Thorpe.

[CHATTER]

- I'm going to wait for quiet. Senator Thorpe, you are required to recite the oath as printed on the card, so please recite the oath.

- None of us like it.

LIDIA THORPE: None of us like it.

- Senator Thorpe. Senator Thorpe. Order.

LIDIA THORPE: I, Lidia Thorpe, do solemnly and sincerely affirm and declare that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Her heirs and successors according to law.

- Senator Thorpe, please sign the Test Roll and Senator's Roll.

LIDIA THORPE: Bye.

[CHATTER]

- I called a [INAUDIBLE].