Independent Senator Lidia Thorpe is advocating for the establishment of a royal commission to address what she characterizes as systemic racism within Australian institutions. Drawing a comparison between racism and cancer, the senator argued that the current mechanisms for oversight are insufficient to address the depth of the problem.

According to Senator Thorpe, a royal commission is necessary because it possesses the legal authority to compel testimony and hold individuals and organizations accountable for discriminatory practices. While the senator has been a vocal critic of government policy regarding Indigenous affairs, this specific call for a royal commission marks a significant escalation in her legislative strategy.

There is currently no consensus on the necessity of such an inquiry. Proponents of the move argue that a royal commission is the only way to force a transparent examination of institutional bias that has historically been ignored. Conversely, critics of the proposal often point to the high financial cost and the lengthy duration of such commissions, suggesting that existing human rights bodies should be empowered instead. The debate centers on whether a formal, government-sanctioned inquiry is the most effective tool for social change or if it serves as a performative measure that fails to produce tangible policy outcomes.