'Give us what you stole from us,' Australian senator yells at King Charles during royal visit

Indigenous senator confronts King Charles III, PM Albanese advocates for Australian head of state during royal visit.

An Indigenous senator told King Charles III that Australia is not his land and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the monarch is not needed as the country's Head of State as the British royal visited Australia's parliament on Monday (October 21, 2024).

Indigenous independent Senator Lidia Thorpe was escorted out of a parliamentary reception for the royal couple after shouting that British colonisers have taken Indigenous land and bones.

“You committed genocide against our people," she shouted. “Give us what you stole from us — our bones, our skulls, our babies, our people. You destroyed our land. Give us a treaty. We want a treaty.”

King Charles spoke quietly with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese while security officials stopped Senator Thorpe from approaching.

“This is not your land. You are not my king,” Ms. Thorpe yelled as she was ushered from the hall.

Mr. Albanese, who wants the country to become a republic with an Australian Head of State, also told the King it was time for his role to end.

“You have shown great respect for Australians, even during times when we have debated the future of our own constitutional arrangements and the nature of our relationship with the Crown,” Mr. Albanese said. But, he said, “nothing stands still”.