Independent senator Lidia Thorpe clashed angrily with a company chief executive during an inquiry hearing after he suggested scrapping Welcome to Country ceremonies and the practice of flying three flags (the Australian, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags) at official events. Thorpe, a prominent Aboriginal rights advocate, responded furiously, telling the CEO to "pay the rent" before going on to accuse the entire state of being racist. The exchange highlights the ongoing and often heated debate in Australia over Indigenous recognition symbols and how they are received by parts of the business and political community.

The confrontation took place during a public inquiry session, where the CEO argued for ending the Welcome to Country custom and the three-flag display, prompting Thorpe's forceful rebuke. Her comments, including the "pay the rent" remark—a reference to a movement calling for reparative payments to Indigenous Australians—and her broader accusation of racism against the state, underscore the deep divisions surrounding reconciliation gestures in Australian public life.