Senator Lidia Thorpe has revealed she was brutally attacked at the MCG earlier this year, leaving her with a serious spinal cord injury and forcing her to miss a third of parliamentary sittings.
Thorpe made the confession afterwards The Australian inquired about her absence, revealing that she had attended only 45 percent of this year’s parliamentary elections.
‘Earlier this year I was attacked at the MCG. “I suffered severe nerve and spinal injuries in my neck that required spinal surgery and a plate inserted in the back of my neck,” she said.
‘I have a scar on the front of my neck because of this. I was ordered by the doctor not to travel and could not attend parliament. My doctor told me to take time off work. A police investigation is currently underway.
“It’s a shame that I’ve been forced to reveal this to defend myself when I would have preferred to keep this private, but that’s just another day in the colony for you.”
Her absenteeism from parliament was even worse last year, when she attended only 38 of the 66 sitting days.
She explained that this was because the Australian Federal Police advised her to stay home due to “serious far-right threats.”
“Delays in the security review and plan from Parliament and the AFP meant I could not travel safely to Parliament for months,” Senator Thorpe said.
Thorpe’s admission comes as the Coalition raised questions about her fitness to remain in parliament, after the senator admitted she had sworn an oath of allegiance to the ‘hair’ of the deceased queen instead of her heirs.
“I find swearing allegiance to someone else from another country, whose ancestors have caused great harm to my ancestors, completely inappropriate,” she said.
“I have a seat in the Senate for the next three and a half years and I will use it to get justice for my people.”
Senator Thorpe also defended receiving a salary for serving in the Senate, saying ‘it’s paying the rent, if you will’.
“I get paid by the colony to raise the issues my people raise with me,” she said.
The federal opposition is investigating whether the senator is eligible to sit and participate in proceedings in the House of Lords under Article 42 of the Constitution.
“The coalition will explore options and consider legal advice on the implications of Senator Thorpe’s admission,” said the coalition’s leader in the Senate, Simon Birmingham.
Senator Lidia Thorpe has revealed she was brutally attacked at the MCG earlier this year, causing serious back injuries
