Leave Lidia alone, but lessons need to be learnt

Did the Prime Minister say that Lidia Thorpe has mental health issues? No, he did not, though many are misrepresenting what he said to advance their own agendas, claiming sexism and racism.

Lidia’s behaviour was inappropriate, but those claiming to defend her are only vilifying her more, and harming the Yes Campaign of the Voice to Parliament. She does not have mental health issues, but many claiming to defend her are inadvertently insinuating that she does.

This was also nothing to do with gender or ethnicity. When Mark Latham made inappropriate, homophobic comments on Twitter recently, he was also publicly condemned by the Prime Minister, and told to seek help. Bad behaviour will always be called out, no matter your gender, ethnicity, sexual preference, religion or political persuasion.

Prior to entering the federal parliament, Lidia had an impressive and successful career. This proves she has the capacity to be a good senator.

However, like many in the private and public sector, she is finding the new power and prominence difficult to handle. We have all had bosses who, once promoted, let the power go to their heads.

The solution is not to sack the person or call for their resignation. Many years have been put in by the individual, her party, the various organisations she has worked for and her supporters to put her in the position she is now in.

Whether we like it or not, she is a senator, and she is not going away. She was elected to the position, and nobody can sack her or force her to resign. This is particularly true now that she is an independent.

It is up to her colleagues, her peers in parliament, to guide her to become a better senator. This is the same way a board of directors and a CEO in private business would guide a rogue manager to become better. You don’t throw away years of experience and training just because of a few setbacks. You make them into an asset.

Leadership can be learnt, but Lidia hasn’t learnt it yet. She needs to listen to those like the Prime Minister, and other parliamentary colleagues with much more experience, about how to be a leader. She also needs to be selective about which ones to listen to; there are many in the current parliament who will never have these skills.

The fault is not Lidia’s alone. If she had decent advisors and mentors, she would know this. The problem appears to be that none of her advisors or mentors are doing their jobs, so she needs to get new ones.

It is not the advisors and mentors who are copping the flack; it is Lidia. The advisors and mentors are sitting back, collecting their six figure salaries, and letting Lidia cop it all. They, more than Lidia, need to be named and shamed.

Lidia needs to take a long, hard look at herself, and those she has entrusted to advise and mentor her, and make some serious changes. She is not receiving good advice or mentorship, and only she can change that.

Craig Hill is a Brisbane-based Social Justice Campaigner, Writer, Teacher and Business Consultant. He has campaigned for social justice in Australia, promoted human rights in China and worked with the homeless in Honolulu. He holds a Graduate Certificate in Business, a Graduate Certificate in Education and a degree in Management. He is also the General Manager of The Australian Business and Leadership School.

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