Senator Lidia Thorpe, the Greens spokesperson for Justice and First Nations, has reiterated the call for the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture (OPCAT) to be implemented across this Country.

Lines attributable to DjabWurrung, Gunnai and Gunditjmara Senator for Victoria Lidia Thorpe, the Greens spokesperson for Justice and First Nations:

Last night, the Greens Senator for Victoria Lidia Thorpe successfully introduced a Private Senators Bill that will ensure this Country complies with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, or UNDRIP.

This Bill is the first step towards implementing UNDRIP into our laws, policies and practice. The Senate also passed a motion, introduced by Senator Thorpe and Senator Cox, that will establish an inquiry into the application of the UNDRIP.

“The Closing the Gap Report tells us the same thing every year: treating the symptoms of
colonisation doesn’t work. We need to address the cause of the injustices we face through
Treaty,” said The Greens spokesperson for Justice and First Nations: Gunnai, Gunditjmara
and DjabWurrung Senator for Victoria Lidia Thorpe. 

Zachary Rolfe, the Northern Territory policeman who shot and killed 19-year-old Warlpiri man Kumanjayi Walker, has been found not guilty of murder, manslaughter and committing a violent act causing death.

The following lines are attributable to the Greens spokesperson for Justice and First Nations, Senator Lidia Thorpe:

“No justice. No peace.”

The Age has revealed that a man in a propaganda video depicting three masked Neo-Nazi’s is a former Young Liberals Office Holder. In the video: the men burn an Aboriginal flag, perform sieg heil salutes and recite a white supremacist manifesto in front of a sign naming and threatening Senator Lidia Thorpe.

The Greens have called for an immediate investigation following alleged human rights violations in a children’s prison today, while again calling on the WA Government to raise the age of criminal responsibility to at least 14 years.

When First Nations people fight for Country, against dirty mining companies or corporate landowners with deep pockets, they’re often locked in a long, expensive and ultimately unfair legal battle.

The Greens have a plan to balance the scales, by making billionaires and big polluters pay their fair share of tax. Through a ‘billionaires tax’ and a ‘corporate super-profits tax,’ we can put resources towards an environmental and cultural heritage legal defence fund.

The Security Legislation Amendment (Critical Infrastructure) Bill 2021 was passed into law yesterday despite some key stakeholders opposing it.  Senator Lidia Thorpe moved an amendment to the Bill to alert the Senate of these concerns, including the lack of proper consultation and the overregulation of industry. 

The Senate ignored these concerns and passed the bill into law anyway. 

After passing over 70 counter-terrorism laws in the past two decades, the Government passed the Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment (High Risk Terrorist Offenders) Bill into law.

This new law will amend the Criminal Code Act 1995  to introduce extended supervision orders, which may be imposed on terrorist offenders released into the community if a court is satisfied that the individual poses an unacceptable risk of committing certain serious terrorism offences.  

The Economic Empowerment Bill 2021 puts forward the most comprehensive changes in 45 years to the Australian Land Rights Act 1976. After successfully negotiating for the Bill to go to a full Inquiry, Senator Lidia Thorpe notes that 92% of submissions are against this bill.

“The Senate inquiry into the Bill has revealed a lack of consultation on this Bill and most stakeholders who gave evidence reject this Bill."

“Most submissions call for the Bill to be axed, it's telling that only the likes of the Mineral Council want this Bill to go ahead.”