Jacqui Lambie slams Lidia Thorpe for calling her ‘a racist’ as income management reform bill passes
Jacqui Lambie rips into Lidia Thorpe in astonishing Parliament arrest: ‘I will not be called a racist’
- Jacqui Lambie berates Lidia Thorpe for calling her ‘a racist’
- It’s because an income management bill has been introduced to the Senate
Jacqui Lambie has scolded Lidia Thorpe for labeling her a “racist” in a heated debate in the Senate.
Legislation on Wednesday was introduced in the Upper House to expand mandatory income management – a measure that aims to help vulnerable Australians in designated areas by limiting how their social benefits can be spent.
The bill has been criticized by Senator Thorpe and some parts of the community for disproportionately affecting Indigenous Australians.
Labor and the Coalition both voted in favour, but debate surrounding the bill raised tensions with Independent Senator Thorpe harassing politicians before being reprimanded for her “disorderly and disrespectful” behaviour.
“I will not be called a racist here,” Senator Lambie said.
‘And I’m pretty sure all those people here are offended, frankly I’m fed up with it.
“I don’t let myself be labeled with that and they shouldn’t be labeled with it either. I would like her to come back. It’s enough today. It is enough. Thank you.’
Following the Tasmanian senator’s comments, Senate President Sur Lines described Ms Thorpe’s actions as “disorderly and disrespectful”.
“I’ll watch the tape and if necessary we’ll ask her to come in and back off,” she said.
After the altercation, Senator Thorpe again fired on social media about reintroducing what she called the “racist base map.”
Labor has just reintroduced income management. The racist base map continues,” she wrote.
“The ration days continue. The assimilation continues. And we’re supposed to trust a government like this to listen to an advisory board?
“They don’t even listen to themselves.”
Labor and the coalition both voted in favor of the bill, but debate surrounding the bill caused tension, with Lidia Thorpe (pictured) harassing senators before being reprimanded for her ‘disorderly and disrespectful’ behavior
The income management reform law means that people on welfare who are supposed to live in an income management location and who are believed to benefit from help managing their budget will be placed on a smart card.
The card imposes restrictions on the use of social assistance benefits.
It is designed to help people budget for their benefits and make sure they get the essentials, such as food, housing, electricity and education.
Greens Senator Janet Rice said Labor, Liberal and One Nation worked together to pass the bill.
Jacqui Lambie (pictured) has sued controversial Senator Lidia Thorpe for labeling her a ‘racist’
“Labour has betrayed income support workers, most of whom are First Nations people, by reversing their election pledge to abolish the cashless debit card.” said Mrs. Rice.
Between the Cashless Debit Card 2.0, the measly $2.85 a day that job seekers are raising, and the refusal to help tenants during the worst housing crisis in generations, Labor has no need to call itself the party of the working class.
“The bills Labor is taking to parliament are making the housing crisis worse, leaving millions of tenants to unrestricted rent increases and poverty, and pushing those already living in poverty into dire situations.
Labor promised voters they would abolish the CDC. Now they’re rolling it out again, just with a new branding. Labor has now gone beyond the Libs in expanding racist and ineffective mandatory income management. We don’t need another Conservative Party in this country.’