Independent Senator Lidia Thorpe has called for “silence” from the media and politicians in the wake of the Boorloo Perth attack on January 26.
It comes amid a successful Senate motion by Thorpe to condemn the attempted bombing of a rally on Invasion Day.
The motion, which states that “an attack on First Nations people is an attack on all Australians”, was co-sponsored by Indigenous Labor senators Malarndirri McCarthy, Jana Stewart and Dorinda Cox, and passed unopposed.
Senator Thorpe said on Tuesday that the incident showed that “racism and hatred directed against First Peoples is real, increasing and must be taken seriously by this House.”
‘A man… threw a bomb. Why wasn’t this seen as the national attention it deserved?’ asked the wife of Gunnai, Gunditjmara and Djab Wurrung.
“The trauma was met with something familiar: silence… another form of violence… in media newsrooms and ministerial offices.
“There was no emergency press conference from the Prime Minister… [his] comments only came when he was questioned at an unrelated press conference.
“This motion asks Parliament to say to First Peoples… we recognize that racism and hatred against you is real and on the rise.”
Senator Thorpe called on the government to fully implement the Australian Human Rights Commission’s (AHRC) National Anti-Racism Framework, which was tabled in November 2024.
Last week, Race Commissioner Giridharan Sivaraman confirmed to NITV that the AHRC has still not received guidance from the government on how it plans to respond to the report.
Senator McCarthy also condemned the attack.
“It’s a wonder the images weren’t very different,” the Yanyuwa Garrwa woman quoted police as saying.
“We have heard from experts in the media about the potential of the device [lethality] …it’s only a coincidence that the device didn’t explode.
“[It] landed in an area reserved for the most vulnerable… people in wheelchairs, babies in strollers. We narrowly avoided a catastrophic disaster.
However, she defended the government’s actions, saying she was “incredibly proud” of the Prime Minister for condemning the attack and pointing to Labour’s recent laws against hate speech.
“That legislation will better protect all Australians, including Indigenous people, from attack.
“On behalf of the Government, I extend my condolences to all those affected… we will not stop in our efforts to ensure the safety of First Nations Australians and all Australians.”
Kerryne Liddle, the shadow minister for Indigenous Australians, also condemned the attack.
“The Liberal Party clearly and unequivocally condemns the attack in Perth,” she told the House.
“It’s terrible… there is no place for this kind of violence in Australia.”
She noted the ongoing investigations by various state and federal authorities, but said her party deviated from Senator Thorpe’s motion on language related to racism.
“This is an attack on Indigenous Australians. That’s the right term to use. It is also an attack on all Australians.
“These proposals should not be controversial, they should unite this chamber… Where the Liberal Party is splitting up [with the motion] is where it instead continues arguments about Australia Day.
“This is being investigated as a terrorist attack. Those responsible must face the full force of the law. It is not appropriate to use an incident … to reignite the debates over January 26 or to attribute broader political motives.”
Senator Liddle sought to change the language of part of the motion, which called on governments to take “urgent action to tackle racism… against First People”, instead asking that it refer to racism against “all Australians”.
That amendment was supported by the Nationals but failed in a vote.
Dorinda Cox, a Labor senator from Washington, spoke of the pain and damage the attack had caused her home.
‘I want to be very clear about the seriousness of what happened. Throwing a bomb into a crowd is not symbolic.
“I know how deeply this has shocked our people, especially my community. I’ve heard of parents who were afraid for their children, of exhausted elderly people… That fear is real and that anger is justified.
“This happened on a day that carries intergenerational trauma for First Nations people.”
The incident added “another layer to an already charged day.”
She also noted the government’s efforts to strengthen “social cohesion”.
Speaking in the House of Representatives later on Tuesday afternoon, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said a “comprehensive response” was needed to build such cohesion, and that he would soon receive briefings on the incident from both the WA and Australia’s federal police commissioners.
“We will continue to address these issues across the board,” he told parliament.
“We have had incidents where so-called sovereign citizens have been involved in the murder of police officers… there is a range of threats that are very real.
“I think as a society we need a broader conversation about the impact of polarization, the impact of social media pushing people to their limits.”
Investigation as a potential terrorist event
Police have charged a 31-year-old Warwick man after he allegedly threw a homemade object containing volatile liquids and shrapnel into the crowd during the Boorloo Perth protest on January 26.
Two charges have been laid against the 31-year-old Warwick man, including unlawful act with intent to harm and making or possessing explosives under suspicious circumstances.
A joint task force involving state and federal authorities is also investigating whether the event was a terrorist incident.
Protest organizers, including Fabian Yarran, have accused authorities of not taking seriously the warnings they had given them in the run-up to January 26, including threats received.
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