Lidia Thorpe says her rallying cry to “burn down Parliament House to make a point” about Gaza was just a figure of speech, after she was roundly criticised across the political spectrum.
At a rally in Melbourne on Sunday, the firebrand senator for Victoria compared the plight of Palestinians to that of Indigenous Australians.
“So we stand with you every day, and we will fight every day and we will turn up every day and if I have to, burn down Parliament House to make a point,” she said, to cheers from the crowd.
The comments sparked a political firestorm, with Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke urging leaders to avoid inflaming community tensions.
He said the natural instinct when “offensive” comments were made was to “increase the pressure.”
“I don’t think that’s in the interests of social cohesion,” he told reporters in Canberra on Monday.
He said her comments “speak for themselves … but I also don’t think us raising the temperature in return does anything other than create a problem.”
Senator Thorpe clarified her comments on Monday, telling AAP in a statement they were “a metaphor for the pain in our communities.”
“They were obviously not a literal threat,” she said.
“This mock outrage is ridiculous. While people are dying and starving in Gaza, politicians and media are once again clutching their pearls and chasing a scandal.”
The independent senator added that she had always rejected violence and was committed to pursuing justice through peaceful, democratic means.
The opposition has also been critical of Senator Thorpe’s remarks and argues the government should take a stronger stance.
Deputy Liberal leader Ted O’Brien said the protest went against Australian values.
“There are 4000 to 5000 Australians who work in Parliament House at times of the year, and to be making those sort of statements are absolutely appalling … and to hear the roar of the crowd, that’s deeply concerning,” he told the Today program.
“I don’t understand why the government won’t take a stronger line on this.”
Both sides of politics are hoping the release of Israeli hostages and the next stages of the ceasefire deal in Gaza will help soothe community tensions at home.
The remaining Israelis held captive by Hamas since the October 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas are expected to be released later on Monday (AEDT), according to Israeli officials.
Israel in exchange will release around 2000 Palestinians, including senior militants and those held without charge under what is known as administrative detention.
Jewish groups held rallies on Sunday night to pay their respects to the 1200 people in Israel who died and the 250 who were taken hostage by Hamas two years ago, sparking the war.
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