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Politics | Aboriginal

Aboriginal senator backs Kanaks as NZ strengthens ties with France

Senator Lidia Thorpe, who was suspended yesterday after fiery exchanges in the Australian Federal Parliament, had earlier expressed her support for the Kanak people and said France was denying them the right to self-determination.

That came as New Zealand coincidentally strengthened its ties with France.

Earlier in the day Thorpe met Viro Xulue, a Kanak human rights and indigenous law officer for Drehu customary council of New Caledonia.

Thorpe is the first Aboriginal senator from Victoria and has already courted controversy, last month interrupting a formal welcome for King Charles, saying “You are not our king,” and “You committed genocide against our peoples”.

Yesterday, with Xulue, she discussed human rights and indigenous law, decolonisation, Pacific Blue 2050, the crisis in Kanaky, the support of Kanak people, youth leadership, climate change and the review of the work of the UN statement by the four rapporteurs and the Human Rights Committee.

“I want to talk about the staunch, powerful Kanak peoples who continue to resist French colonial occupation,” Thorpe told Parliament afterwards.

“The Kanak people are the first peoples of so-called New Caledonia. France has been denying the Kanak peoples their right to self-determination, sending in the military who have killed human rights defenders, arrested thousands and arbitrarily detained others in France, thousands of kilometres from their homeland.”

Peters praises France

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Winston Peters announced from Paris an agreement to intensify this country’s close relationship with France, after meeting French Foreign Minister Jean-Nöel Barrot.

Peters applauded France’s role in bringing about a ceasefire in Lebanon and said New Zealand and France were taking their cooperation to the next level.

“Next year our two countries will mark 80 years of diplomatic relations. France continues to be one of our most valued partners within the European Union and Indo-Pacific.”

He said the security of Europe, the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific were interconnected and that New Zealand and France shared strategic and security interests in both regions.

“France has been a driving force behind an increasingly active EU engagement in the Indo-Pacific,” he said.

“We also discussed New Caledonia, and our shared interest in the continuation of a productive, open-minded dialogue among and to the betterment of all communities there.”

Netanyahu gets French immune pass

France also announced yesterday that it considered Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was immune from an arrest warrant issued last week by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity and war crimes.

Euro News reported the French foreign ministry said it would continue to work closely with Netanyahu because of the close friendship between the two nations.

Te Ao Māori News has now asked for comment from Peters on France’s stance of protecting Netanyahu and France’s alleged human rights violations of Indigenous Kanaks.

Pauline Hanson points the finger at dual citizen Fatima Payman

Meanwhile, back in the Australian Federal Senate, One Nation senator Pauline Hanson called on Parliament to investigate the citizenship of Western Australia senator Fatima Payman.

Under Section 44 of the Australian constitution, dual citizens are not allowed to sit in Parliament.

Payman has attempted to renounce her Afghanistan citizenship but cannot because of the Taliban’s takeover of the country.

Payman replied using the term racism and Hanson interjected and demanded Payman withdraw the word.

Payman withdrew so she could speak further, and quoted Hanson who had challenged anyone to find one racist thing she’d said.

Payman listed a few instances including Hanson’s 1998 policy speech, where she said “Aboriginality” would no longer exist under her party policies.

She’d said, “I believe we’re in danger of being swamped by Asians.”

“We’re bringing in people from South Africa at the moment. There’s a huge amount coming into Australia who have disease, they’ve got AIDS.”

Payman then yelled, “If that is not racist, what is it?”

Recently Hanson told Australia Greens deputy leader, Mehreen Faruqi, to “piss off back to Pakistan” on social media. Hanson is now appealing a court ruling that was a breach of the Racial Discrimination Act, and says Australia’s free speech is “constantly under threat”.

Thorpe joins in, senate ousts her

After listing a few instances of what she said was racism, Payman said to Hanson, “You’re not just vindictive, mean, nasty, you bring disgrace to the human race.”

Thorpe backed Payman, yelling “convicted racist” at Hanson as she threw torn-up documents at her. Thorpe gave the middle finger over her shoulder as she walked out of the chamber.

Labor Senate leader Penny Wong moved a motion to oust Senator Thorpe until the end of Thursday, passing 46 votes to 11.

Hanson said everyone had the right to feel safe at work and to not be intimidated or threatened.

“I hope this does send a clear message to Senator Thorpe,” she said.

“She’s been given the opportunity to hold a very special place in this parliament, and to act on behalf of all Australians who want clear, decisive representation with equality, not about race.”

Te Aniwaniwa Paterson
Te Aniwaniwa Paterson

Te Aniwaniwa is a digital producer for Te Ao Māori News.