Labor MP Marion Scrymgour has engaged lawyers implicit a bid of comments made by firebrand Senator Lidia Thorpe.
Ms Thorpe questioned the Federal Member for Lingiari during a Senate estimates proceeding successful aboriginal June implicit funds the Northern Land Council received during the Covid pandemic erstwhile she was chief executive.
The autarkic legislator accused Ms Scrymgour of trying to usage stimulus wealth issued during the pandemic for governmental campaigning, and questioned existent executives astir whether a assistance worthy $400,000 was utilized 'to physique a vacation location for Ms Scrymgour's household astatine Twin Hill Station'.
Ms Scrymgour strenuously denied the accusations astatine the clip and maintains she has thing to hide.
Senator Lidia Thorpe (pictured) questioned the Federal Member for Lingiari successful the Northern Territory during a Senate estimates proceeding successful aboriginal June implicit funds received during the Covid pandemic during her clip arsenic main enforcement of the Northern Land Council
Those comments made by Ms Thorpe were done truthful nether parliamentary privilege, which protects politicians from ineligible enactment of this kind.
But Ms Scrymgour argues that societal media posts Ms Thorpe aboriginal made astir the allegations meant she would 'forego parliamentary privilege.
'Senator Thorpe does not respect the institute of parliament oregon what it stands for,' she said.
'But she is blessed to usage it to onslaught radical she sees arsenic her governmental opponents – particularly erstwhile they are different First Nations women.
'To person 1 facet of the strategy deliberately weaponised done societal media successful narration to thing that has thing to bash with my show arsenic an elected subordinate and by idiosyncratic who seeks to augment her First Nations individuality and credentials by claiming relation and narration with Aboriginal territorians.
'She has thing to bash with us. I person engaged lawyers successful narration to the societal media posts.'
Labor MP Marion Scrymgour (pictured) has engaged lawyers implicit a bid of comments made by firebrand Senator Lidia Thorpe
Ms Scrymgour said Ms Thorpe's determination to sermon these allegations extracurricular of modular parliamentary processes 'extended and aggravated her imputations, leaving no doubt arsenic to her malicious, idiosyncratic and governmental motivation.
'I instrumentality these allegations precise earnestly — they are violative and they request to beryllium dealt with. They are slurs connected my character.'
The Northern Land Council executives told the Senate proceeding investigations would beryllium taking spot into allegations of Covid stimulus misuse, but determination was nary denotation that Ms Scrymgour had immoderate involvement.
English (US) ·