Senator Lidia Thorpe has stood firm in her actions following her suspension from the Senate for tearing up a motion by Pauline Hanson and giving a rude gesture to fellow senators. This incident sparked a heated debate in the chamber after Senator Payman, who is of Afghan descent, accused Hanson of racism, prompting Thorpe to label Hanson as ‘disgusting’ as she exited the chamber, displaying her middle finger. Thorpe spoke to ABC News on Thursday, stating, ‘What Senator Hanson did to Senator Payman was an act of disgusting racism, questioning Senator Payman’s legitimacy to be in this place. That is an act of racism.’ She expressed her unwillingness to remain silent in the face of racism, declaring, ‘I would do it again.’ Thorpe’s actions resulted in her suspension for the rest of the week, and she criticized the parliament’s handling of racism, highlighting the double standards faced by women of color. ‘They are quick to punish the Blak woman here all the time for calling it out, but I am responding to racism, and that’s what they need to focus on,’ she said. Government Senate leader Penny Wong addressed the motion, noting Thorpe’s history of inappropriate comments, asserting that all Australians deserve a safe work environment, and that such behavior would not be tolerated in their workplace. The motion passed with 45 votes in favor and 11 against, with the Greens Party opposing it in support of Thorpe. In response to Wong’s remarks, Thorpe urged the government to take stronger action against racial hate speech in parliament, pointing out Hanson’s history of offensive conduct. Thorpe argued that the incident underscores the need for a thorough inquiry into racism within parliament. ‘If we can’t stamp it out here, then we can’t stamp it out for the rest of the nation,’ she emphasized. The Senate has since voted to refer an inquiry into this matter to an internal committee. Thorpe’s suspension prevents her from advancing a private member’s bill on genocide, which aims to strip the attorney-general of the authority to block such prosecutions. She questioned the timing of her suspension, suggesting it was a strategic move to hinder her legislative efforts. On Thursday morning, Thorpe made headlines again by entering the Senate’s press gallery chanting ‘free Palestine’ before leaving the chamber. Protests in support of her bill are anticipated to take place outside parliament, with Thorpe vowing to join them. ‘They may not be able to pass the legislation that needs to be passed today because they suspended me from participating, and they suspended me for standing up to a racist,’ she stated.
