Anthony Albanese’s candid message to Lidia Thorpe after a rogue senator’s foul-mouthed outburst outside a Melbourne strip club
- Anthony Albanese shared a message for Lidia Thorpe
- Message comes after her meltdown in Melbourne
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has urged Senator Lidia Thorpe to “get some support” in the wake of her explosive strip club collapse.
The Victorian senator is under pressure after the emergence of CCTV footage of her having a physical altercation with a group of men outside Maxine’s Gentlemen’s Club in Melbourne over the weekend.
In the footage, Senator Thorpe mocked a man for having a “small penis” and accused the men of stealing her land.
On Wednesday, the prime minister weighed in and called the behavior of the Greens defector inappropriate.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has urged Senator Lidia Thorpe to ‘get some support’ in the wake of her explosive strip club collapse
The Victorian senator is under pressure after the emergence of CCTV footage of her having a physical altercation with a group of men outside Maxine’s Gentlemen’s Club in Melbourne over the weekend
“I hope Lidia gets some support. I think that behavior is clearly unacceptable and I think there are obvious issues that need to be addressed, in terms of her health issues,” he told Sydney’s 2SM radio.
“These are not the actions of someone who should normally participate in society, let alone a senator.
“Lidia must be very aware of how this behavior is perceived.”
Senator Thorpe has been contacted for comment on the Prime Minister’s comments.
Security footage of the 3 a.m. incident obtained by news.com.au earlier this week showed the senator circling the men waiting outside the strip club before pointing her finger and screaming, after one of the men involved called a “racist dog.”
“All I want to say to the black brothers there and to everyone we fight,” she said.
“Any black man standing by that damn white little bitch like that – you (sic) can all get fucked too.”
She has since been banned from the Brunswick establishment for life.
In a statement to 7News, which first aired the footage of the spray, Senator Thorpe said she had not initiated the exchange, but had responded to taunts and harassment against her.
“It’s sad that people use anything to bring me down when we try to discuss important issues in this country,” she said.
Earlier this week, One Nation Senator Pauline Hanson called on police to investigate the independent’s outburst.
“I think the Victoria Police should carefully examine that footage to determine whether Senator Thorpe has broken the law,” said Senator Hanson.
The Australian Human Rights Commission could also consider investigating the footage for possible violations of Section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act. I think the people who fell victim to her abuse over the weekend should come forward and make sure she is held accountable because the Senate has shown it is too cowardly to do that.
Footage showed Thorpe (above) circling the men waiting outside the Brunswick strip club before pointing her finger and screaming, after one of the men involved called her a “racist dog”
“No one – certainly not an elected representative – is above the law.”
The collapse of the strip club is just the latest in a string of controversial incidents involving the senator in recent months, including temporarily halting the Mardi Gras parade in protest at police.
Mr. Albanese said it was becoming a “rehearsal exercise” for the senator.
“You know, the Mardi Gras event was put in front of a truck, which was actually a truck for Twenty10, a youth service that takes in young gays and lesbians, a service of my electorate,” the prime minister said.
“Why anyone would lie down in front of that truck to get attention is beyond my understanding and I hope she gets some sort of support.”