Police have confirmed a woman has been charged with assault after Senator Lidia Thorpe revealed she was forced to miss more than a third of parliamentary sitting days this year due to injuries sustained in an alleged attack outside the MCG.
The independent senator revealed this morning she had missed work due to the alleged assault after her attendance record in parliament had been questioned.
Thorpe has attended 28 out of 44 sitting days and 222 out of 493 divisions this year.
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“Earlier this year I was assaulted at a public event,” the independent senator said.
“I sustained serious nerve and spinal injuries in my neck, which required spinal surgery and a plate to be inserted. There’s a scar on the front of my neck from this.
“I was ordered by the doctor not to travel and could not attend parliament after I sustained the injury and during recovery from surgery.
“My doctor told me to take time off work.”
Thorpe said she would have preferred to keep the matter private, adding it was still under police investigation.
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Police confirmed this afternoon that the alleged assault had been reported at the time and that a woman was arrested months later.
“Investigators allege that a woman assaulted another woman outside the Melbourne Cricket Ground after an AFL match about 10.30pm,” a police spokesperson said.
“The incident was reported at Melbourne East Police Station on 26 May. The woman sustained minor injuries during the incident.
“Police arrested a 27-year-old Preston woman in Preston on 25 July.”
The woman was bailed and is due to face court on Monday on two counts of recklessly causing injury and three counts of unlawful assault.
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Thorpe was earlier this month targeted by a neo-Nazi, who was filmed burning an Aboriginal flag and threatening her.
She added that she does not take her position in the Senate lightly and is committed to her responsibilities and duties.
“When I haven’t been present in parliament, I have still been engaged with and following the legislative agenda, and ensuring that my voting positions are reflected in the vote outcome through pairing arrangements,” she said.
Thorpe has dominated the news this week over her protest against King Charles during his visit at Parliament House on Monday and then confusion over her oath of allegiance.
She had earlier this week suggested she intentionally blundered the oath when she was sworn into the Senate, telling the ABC she referred to the late Queen Elizabeth’s “heirs” as “hairs”.
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She then amended her comment yesterday and told Sky News that she read what was on the card and misspoke, adding her “English grammar isn’t as good as others”.
Thorpe is facing calls to resign and potential action against her over her oath admission.
Australian parliament requires each member to swear the oath of allegiance before they take their seat.
The opposition’s leader in the Senate Simon Birmingham yesterday sent a letter to Senate president Sue Lines asking her to review Thorpe’s eligibility.
A spokesperson for Lines confirmed she had received the letter but said no further details were available.
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