Senator Lidia Thorpe has condemned the arrest and manhandling of respected Larrakia Elder Eric Fejo by NT Police during a protest in Darwin against the appointment of NT Administrator David Connolly.
Senator Lidia Thorpe has condemned the arrest and manhandling of respected Larrakia Elder Eric Fejo by NT Police during a protest in Darwin against the appointment of NT Administrator David Connolly.
The Senator has accused the Albanese Government, and Minister for Indigenous Australians Malarndirri McCarthy, of hypocrisy, noting the Minister publicly criticised the appointment while her own government approved it and holds the power to remove the new Administrator.
Senator Thorpe is calling for a public apology to Elder Fejo and for the Federal Government to immediately overturn the appointment.
Quotes attributable to Lidia Thorpe, Gunnai, Gunditjmara and Djab Wurrung independent Victorian Senator:
"This morning, as mob and allies gathered in Darwin to protest the appointment of NT Administrator David Connolly, NT Police arrested and manhandled respected Larrakia Elder Eric Fejo on his own Country.
Eric is a staunch defender of his Country and his people. It is utterly shameful that police would treat an Elder this way on Larrakia land.
NT Police must publicly apologise.
The Minister for Aboriginal Australians, Malarndirri McCarthy, was there. She denounced the new Administrator.
But it is completely disingenuous to claim she stands with our people against David Connolly when her own government signed off on his appointment, and holds the power to remove him.
That power exists. But the Albanese government refuse to use it.
When they won’t act, they are part of the problem. Their inaction sends a clear message that they still endorse this man, no matter what the Minister may say at a microphone.
It’s the same refusal we see when it comes to using federal powers to stop the NT Government from targeting and locking up our children.
The Minister today was protesting something she can change. It is hypocrisy.
To the minister I say: now that you’ve found your activist voice, I’ll see you at the next deaths in custody rally.
And I’ll expect to see you fighting just as hard to get 10-year-old children out of prison."