Senator Lidia Thorpe has made it clear that she does not regret her actions that led to her suspension from the Senate, asserting that the punishment stems from her outspoken stance against racism. Her extraordinary suspension from the chamber until the end of the sitting year came after a heated incident involving Senator Pauline Hanson, which escalated when Thorpe tore up a motion questioning the eligibility of Senator Fatima Payman to sit in parliament. This confrontation ignited significant backlash, with Senator Payman accusing Hanson of racism before retracting her statement.
In a series of interviews with ABC and Channel Nine, Thorpe expressed frustration at the Senate’s quickness to punish her, a black woman, for calling out racism. “They are quick to punish the black woman here all the time for calling it out, but I am responding to racism, and that is what they need to focus on,” she stated. Thorpe described the week as horrendous, emphasizing her commitment to stand against racism even if it means confronting others in the chamber.
Thorpe also criticized Hanson, labeling her a ‘convicted’ racist and accusing her of regularly baiting her with racial taunts. The tension between the two senators heightened following a recent court ruling that found Hanson had racially vilified Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi in a derogatory tweet. Despite the ruling, Hanson announced she would appeal the decision and rebuffed Thorpe’s claims, warning media outlets against repeating what she termed false accusations.
Finance Minister Katy Gallagher commented on the incident, stating that Thorpe’s behavior had escalated into aggressive disruption that was unacceptable in any workplace, including the Senate. She maintained that while people may have differing opinions about Hanson, no one should be subjected to aggressive behavior in the chamber.
Thorpe, however, sees this incident as a catalyst for her and Senator Faruqi’s push for an open inquiry into racism within parliament, highlighting a perceived double standard for behavior in the Senate. “We’re the ones that are the naughty little black girl. And that’s okay if you want to call me that and call me disruptive, but I will not sit there and be silent when people of colour are being attacked with racism,” she declared.
In a subsequent statement, Senator Hanson condemned the actions taken in the chamber, emphasizing the importance of respecting the institution of parliament. The Senate has since voted to refer the matter of racism to an internal committee for further inquiry. In a surprising turn, despite her suspension, Thorpe managed to enter the Senate chamber, raising a fist and shouting “Free Palestine” before leaving voluntarily, underscoring her determination to continue her advocacy for racial justice.
