Independent senator Lidia Thorpe engaged in a heated exchange with former manufacturing company CEO Peter Balan during a federal parliamentary inquiry into racism on July 28. The confrontation occurred as Balan, who had submitted to the Joint Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs, advocated for the discontinuation of Welcome to Country ceremonies and the display of Indigenous flags.
Thorpe pressed Balan, who had received an Order of Australia for his service to tertiary education and the South Australia community, to acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the First Peoples of Australia and to recognize he was living on stolen land. Balan declined to answer directly, stating it "doesn't matter," and when asked if he acknowledged living on stolen land, he responded, "No." Thorpe then questioned whether Balan paid "rent" for occupying Indigenous land, to which he replied, "I pay taxes." Balan further stated he did not understand the concept of "paying rent" for being on the land.
Balan's submission to the inquiry, which is examining racism, hate, and violence experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, argued for an end to race-based programs, including Welcome to Country ceremonies. Thorpe accused Balan of advocating for "cultural genocide" due to his opposition to these ceremonies and the display of Indigenous flags, terms Balan rejected as an "exaggeration."
Following the exchange, Thorpe expressed her view that Balan's testimony was "totally inappropriate" and harmful, representing the very racism the inquiry aimed to eradicate. She also commented on evidence presented at the inquiry, suggesting widespread racism in Queensland institutions, including police, hospitals, and the education system.
Thorpe reiterated her call for a royal commission into racism, arguing that the current parliamentary inquiry was insufficient and that governments have historically failed to act on recommendations. She stated on social media that Australia is becoming more divided and criticized the lack of serious action on racism, emphasizing the need for recommendations to be acted upon and for equality for Indigenous people. She also noted that racism harms all Australians, not just First Nations Peoples.
