King Charles & Queen Camilla - Visit to Australia and Samoa: October 2024

[shady lady]

Australia's first female Aboriginal Senator has apologised to the King and Queen after Lidia Thorpe's behaviour:

https://www.skynews.com.au/news/nations-first-female-aboriginal-senator-apologises-for-senator-lidia-thorpes-rude-outburst/news-story/a801bc81bb23aefba258987140098a6f

“I would like to extend my sincere apologies to King Charles III and Queen Camilla on behalf of all those who value mutual respect and the dignity of our nation,” she wrote.

“Aboriginal Australia values these opportunities for cultural exchange and understanding.

“Lidia Thorpe’s actions today do not reflect all of our people’s views or values.”

 

[An Ard Ri]

The king and queen were greeted in Canberra by Ngunnawal Elder Aunty Serena Williams and thankfully she was more gracious and dignified that other loud mouth attention seeker.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1848184881638998508

 

[Curryong]

Indigenous people, even if they have served in the Senate or are still serving, aren’t one big homogenous lump, sharing the same views on the monarchy, a republic, the King or many other issues. However Peris and Thorpe are in fact both republicans. That doesn’t mean that one view of actions from one indigenous politician is authentic and the other politician (from a similar ancestry) is worthless.

And from the above statement of Nova Peris (who actually didn’t serve that long in the Senate, )

‘The former Northern Territory senator, who won an Olympic gold medal for Australia in the 1996 Games, said she was a proponent of the country one day becoming a republic, but maintained it was a decision for the Australian people.

“For over 2 decades I have supported the principle that Australia should one day become a republic. Indeed, as a former co-chair of the Australian Republican Movement I advocated strongly for this,” Ms Peris wrote.’

 

[Hallo girl]

Indigenous people, even if they have served in the Senate or are still serving, aren’t one big homogenous lump, sharing the same views on the monarchy, a republic or many other issues. That doesn’t mean that one view from one indigenous politician is authentic and the other politician (from a similar ancestry) is worthless.

All views are important but how we express our views is telling. IMO the senator did not do herself any favours or her cause, the cartoon she tweeted was disgraceful.
It is up to the Australian people to decide if they wish to be a republic, shouting abuse at the King, does not help. He has stated his position.

 

[An Ard Ri]

All views are important but how we express our views is telling. IMO the senator did not do herself any favours or her cause, the cartoon she tweeted was disgraceful.
It is up to the Australian people to decide if they wish to be a republic, shouting abuse at the King, does not help. He has stated his position.

Exactly and since when has shouting and roaring ever achieved anything other than making a spectacle of yourself.

 

[TLLK]

This is nothing new for her. She will continue to do things like this, especially while she is a senator, which as she was elected in 2022 means she will have a senate seat until 2028 as senators have six year terms. We are used to her antics her - and she pulls them both in and out of the Senate.

Thank you all for the background information on Sen. Thorpe. I expect that security forces may have anticipated that she'd behave in this manner during the event and were prepared. TM the King and Queen were probably briefed as well that this might occur.

 

[Curryong]

The king and queen were greeted in Canberra by Ngunnawal Elder Aunty Serena Williams and thankfully she was more gracious and dignified that other loud mouth attention seeker.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1848184881638998508

But aunty Serena also stated afterwards, when Chris Ship of Britain’s ITV spoke to her, that ‘King Charles should acknowledge all that has gone before’ (in other words all that has happened to the Aboriginal population since the First Fleet sailed into Botany Bay.) I saw Ship on the Australian nightly TV show ‘The Project’ and he reported what she had said.

 

[An Ard Ri]

But aunty Serena also stated afterwards, when Chris Ship of Britain’s ITV spoke to her, that ‘King Charles should acknowledge all that has gone before’ (in other words all that has happened to the Aboriginal population since the First Fleet sailed into Botany Bay.) I saw Ship on the Australian nightly TV show ‘The Project’ and he reported what she had said.

But she probably said it in a dignified manner and did not rant and rave and have to be escorted off by security.
Once you start to behave like that you have lost your argument in my book.

 

[Hallo girl]

But aunty Serena also stated afterwards, when Chris Ship of Britain’s ITV spoke to her, that ‘King Charles should acknowledge all that has gone before’ (in other words all that has happened to the Aboriginal population since the First Fleet sailed into Botany Bay.) I saw Ship on the Australian nightly TV show ‘The Project’ and he reported what she had said.

I am not sure what your point is?

 

[An Ard Ri]

The king planted a new tree Australia’s National Botanic Gardens

 

[Somebody]

After all the lovely posts from Australia, unfortunately there is this:

Not my King, Australian senator shouts at Charles

Senator interrupts ceremony in Australian capital city of Canberra on the second official day of royal engagements.

www.bbc.co.uk

This has more info about what she actually said.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2024/oct/21/australia-news-live-chalmers-labor-inflation-king-charles-queen-camilla-canberra

It's the only part of the visit that got any traction in the international media.

See this Dutch news item: Australische senator gaat tekeer tegen koning Charles: 'Jij bent niet mijn koning'

 

[Elly C]

It's the only part of the visit that got any traction in the international media.

See this Dutch news item: Australische senator gaat tekeer tegen koning Charles: 'Jij bent niet mijn koning'

I couldn’t agree more. The main news channels in the UK are all over it.Disappointing but predictable.

 

[Alison H]

Aunty Serena presumably spoke in a calm and dignified way. She also used the term "all that has gone before" rather than "genocide". Opinions will vary, but I personally wouldn't use the term "genocide" given that, as also happened in North and South America, the high death rate amongst indigenous people in the early days of colonisation was due largely to lack of immunity to diseases carried by the colonists. It was terrible, but it's not something that anyone did on purpose.

It's unfortunate that monarchs get the blame for what has happened in the past, but it's always been like that. The US Declaration of Independence makes George III, who spent most of his time studying farming methods, sound like an ogre. However, people don't generally talk about "all of the wealth he has created for his family" as if the monarch personally has all the benefit from land taken in the past, which Ms Thorpe did.

Regarding the return of cultural relics to Australia, some British museums have done that, but it's something that requires the approval of the museum authorities and the Government. It's not something that the King can influence.

Aunty Violet Sheridan, another elder, said “I am a big supporter of reconciliation and the healing process. We need to work this out". That seems to be a very sensible comment.

 

[Mbruno]

Australia's first female Aboriginal Senator has apologised to the King and Queen after Lidia Thorpe's behaviour:

https://www.skynews.com.au/news/nations-first-female-aboriginal-senator-apologises-for-senator-lidia-thorpes-rude-outburst/news-story/a801bc81bb23aefba258987140098a6f

“I would like to extend my sincere apologies to King Charles III and Queen Camilla on behalf of all those who value mutual respect and the dignity of our nation,” she wrote.

“Aboriginal Australia values these opportunities for cultural exchange and understanding.

“Lidia Thorpe’s actions today do not reflect all of our people’s views or values.”

Senator Lidia Thorpe is well-known in Australia for her antics. She does not represent the broader Aboriginal community and her actions do not advance the cause either of Aboriginal rights or republicanism. On the contrary, it probably hurts them.

I am not sure what your point is?

"All that has gone before" has nothing to do with King Charles III to be honest, as he wasn't alive back then. Moreover, although Federation only took place in 1901, the Australian colonies (later states) had autonomy in domestic matters since the 1850s and handled relations with the Aboriginal peoples and Aboriginal land on their own.

What I am trying to say is that "all that has gone before" in Australia, as indeed in Canada or in the USA, falls mostly on the local European settlers and their descendants, who were the ones with a vested interest in seizing Aboriginal land and displacing (or eliminating) Aboriginal peoples. It is convenient to blame a foreign entity like the British Royal Family, but that is a distraction from who the real culprits were for what "has gone before" (if you want to point fingers at all).

 

[Durham]

Hefner the alpaca is cute.

Senator Thorpe not so much.

But she probably said it in a dignified manner and did not rant and rave and have to be escorted off by security.
Once you start to behave like that you have lost your argument in my book.

And you run the risk of being on the receiving end of the same sort of behaviour.

Public figures don't deserve this. This should not be normalised whatever the grievance.

Yes, Lydia Thorpe is a hot-head, a loose cannon and a fire-brand. It’s all very easy to dismiss her as an irritation and distraction. However, in all fairness I’d just like to point out that she is also a credentialed Senator and therefore she had every right to be present in the Great Hall today, as Parliament is her workplace.

The failure of The Voice referenda earlier was no doubt a huge disappointment to many other indigenous Australians, and the fact there has never been any treaty has undoubtedly partially fuelled Senator Thorpe’s actions today.

It is also true that indigenous Australians have not been given their full rights in Australia, very often having been treated extremely unfairly in colonial times, plus earlier in the 20th century (Stolen Generation), and right up to the present day.

Senator Thorpe probably enunciated today what many other First Nations people feel in their hearts and their souls. I’d also like to point out that Australia is alone among Commonwealth realms as never having signed a treaty with its original inhabitants.

People will no doubt say, ‘What has Charles to do with all these past events’? And as a (compassionate) individual of course he does not bear individual blame for any of it. However, it is what he represents as the Monarch of Australia, and all the past actions from King George III’s time though the 19th, 20th centuries and this century that have been done in the monarchy’s name which would have been in Senator Thorpe’s mind when she spoke out today.

Yes but........if she doesn't want someone coming up to her & angrily shouting "not my senator" in her face & then finishing with the f word she needs to adopt a different strategy.

Like a lot of activists today she just coarsens public discourse. There is so much of this sort of activism in the west today. It will just breed violence. If people push eventually they get push back.

 

[Sun Lion]

The enormous cruise ship “Celebrity Edge” is just gliding past Admiralty House now … just gone 5.15am here … really beautiful with different colour effects from her lighting.

Her departure is now scheduled for 4.45pm this afternoon which means she will add to the scene for everyone turning out for the Review.

It is still dark, but that wind has gone and we’re meant to get to 23 degrees today which sounds good, not hot, not cold.

I’m expecting to see all the tourist Harbour cruise vessels sailing about too as they have all been advertising special experiences for people who want to be on the water with the King and Queen.

Rear Admiral Smith has told tv show “A Current Affair” that the Navy frigates in the Review will be “ dressed ships”, meaning they will be decked out with flags and bunting.

He called it being in their “party dresses”.

And the vessel that will be carrying the Royal Couple has been spruced up to be it’s best for Charles and Camilla and the official party.

 

[Hallo girl]

But aunty Serena also stated afterwards, when Chris Ship of Britain’s ITV spoke to her, that ‘King Charles should acknowledge all that has gone before’ (in other words all that has happened to the Aboriginal population since the First Fleet sailed into Botany Bay.) I saw Ship on the Australian nightly TV show ‘The Project’ and he reported what she had said.

Aunty Serena made her point in a dignified manner.
There is nothing wrong with raising your points of view , senators are representatives of their country on the world stage.
Just like on here, we do not all agree but there is a way to present your case , without causing offence or embarrassment.

 

[Durham]

Watching it there is an element of comedy.

Cries offstage of “f… the colony” by Madame Thorpe.

Followed by the orchestra playing Handel ‘s Lascia ch'io pianga (Let Me Weep)

Concluded with : “ Ladies & gentlemen that concludes today’s formalities”

Only in Australia! Our Antipodean cousins have a great sense of humour.

 

[Durham]

The enormous cruise ship “Celebrity Edge” is just gliding past Admiralty House now … just gone 5.15am here … really beautiful with different colour effects from her lighting.

Her departure is now scheduled for 4.45pm this afternoon which means she will add to the scene for everyone turning out for the Review.

It is still dark, but that wind has gone and we’re meant to get to 23 degrees today which sounds good, not hot, not cold.

I’m expecting to see all the tourist Harbour cruise vessels sailing about too as they have all been advertising special experiences for people who want to be on the water with the King and Queen.

Rear Admiral Smith has told tv show “A Current Affair” that the Navy frigates in the Review will be “ dressed ships”, meaning they will be decked out with flags and bunting.

He called it being in their “party dresses”.

And the vessel that will be carrying the Royal Couple has been spruced up to be it’s best for Charles and Camilla and the official party.

Sun Lion your reports have been a joy to read.

Thank you!

 

[Sun Lion]

This is video of a news report … so please ignore the remainder after the first few minutes … but there are a couple of quick looks at the wonderful tall ship sailing past Camilla and Charles on Saturday morning with the young people standing on the crossbeams of the masts.

Just wonderful.

We have several tall ships in Sydney that come out on Australia Day etc. Don’t know if we will see them today, but I hope so.

And Hephner is a star.

As well as the spontaneous interviews by various channels yesterday, he is now on one of the breakfast shows having a lengthy piece done on him.

All dressed up in his dinner jacket and crown again.

So well-mannered and behaved, in his element.

 

[Durham]

One of Thorpe's social media accounts showed an image of The King decapitated.

She says she didn't post it. Yeah, nah.

To coin a couple of Australianisms - strewth! Crikey!

 

[Curryong]

Neither of the Australianisms you quoted are used very much in today’s Australia, actually. Have hardly heard them in the last 20 years. Except by those who jokily imitate the late Steve Irwin (who died in 2006) or even ‘Crocodile Dundee’. Can’t remember what year that film came out.

 

[Asteria12]

What is typically Australian is a little levity in a situation, so thank you for the morning laugh @Durham!

 

[Curryong]

My point was though that Australia has very much grown away from that Crocodile Dundee image that foreigners give us overseas when they like to poke fun. Instead it is a very rich, modern and diverse and fun country in all sorts of ways.