Key Points
- Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi has lashed out at the prime minister for heading to King Charles' coronation.
- The Greens deputy leader described Mr Albanese's visit as "disgusting" as Australia faces a cost of living crisis.
- The prime minister previously indicated he will pledge his allegience to the King during the coronation.
Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi has criticised Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, describing his visit to the coronation of King Charles III this weekend as "disgusting".
Senator Faruqi, who is the new Greens spokesperson for the Republic, accused the prime minister of prioritising a trip to the United Kingdom to "bask in the grotesque excesses, pomp and pageantry" of the British monarchy during a .
The senator also criticised Mr Albanese for indicating he will pledge his oath of allegiance to the King, at a time when republicans are pushing for Australia to separate itself from the Commonwealth.
“At the very least Albanese could have shown leadership and sent a strong message by agreeing to remain silent when invited to pledge allegiance to the new monarch," she said.
She said the only reason the prime minister should visit the UK to meet the King was to cut ties with the monarchy.
"Now would be the perfect time to announce we were pushing forward with a republic, but instead Albanese is signing us up to an outdated system."
When asked if he would swear the oath of allegiance in an interview with broadcaster Piers Morgan, Mr Albanese said he would do "what is entirely appropriate as the representative of Australia".
The prime minister had a private audience with King Charles at Buckingham Palace in London ahead of the coronation.
Members of the public watching the coronation have been asked to join the oath, but several prominent ministers including Treasurer Jim Chalmers said he was "unlikely" to pledge allegiance or watch the ceremony.
Senator Faruqi is among several figures in Australia and around the world who will not be celebrating the coronation, including , accusing the British royal family of colonialism during its rule.
“The British monarchy and their obscene wealth is a racist, colonial institution built on the blood, backs and stolen wealth of brown and black people," she said.
"The violent legacies of British colonialism are felt by people and countries all over the globe, including of course here in Australia, a nation born of dispossession and violence."
Her comments come after she in relation to her online comments to the Greens senator to "piss off back to Pakistan".
The was in response to comments made by Senator Faruqi following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, saying she couldn't mourn the "leader of a racist empire built on stolen lives, land and wealth of colonised peoples".
With AAP.
