Senator Lidia Thorpe has boldly stated that she does not regret her actions leading to her suspension from the Senate, arguing that she was punished for speaking out against racism. Thorpe, a former Greens senator, faced extraordinary suspension for the remainder of the sitting year after an incident involving her tearing up a motion presented by Senator Pauline Hanson. This occurred after Hanson questioned the eligibility of Senator Fatima Payman to sit in parliament, sparking controversy when Payman accused Hanson of racism, a claim she later withdrew.
The vote for suspension came from a coalition of government, opposition, One Nation, and crossbench senators, including David Pocock, Jacqui Lambie, and Ralph Babet. Following her suspension, Thorpe expressed her frustration in interviews with ABC and Channel Nine, emphasizing that the Senate’s focus should be on addressing racism rather than punishing those who call it out. “They are quick to punish the black woman here all the time for calling it out,” Thorpe declared, asserting her commitment to stand against racism.
Thorpe described the past week as ‘horrible’ and reiterated her stance on confronting racism. She also accused Senator Hanson of being a ‘convicted’ racist, citing previous incidents where Hanson had allegedly racially vilified other senators, including Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi.
In a counter-response, Senator Hanson announced plans to appeal a court finding that she had racially attacked Faruqi, labeling Thorpe’s claims as false and threatening legal action against media outlets that reported on them. Meanwhile, Finance Minister Katy Gallagher defended the Senate’s decision to suspend Thorpe, stating that her behavior had escalated into aggression and disruption, which would not be tolerated in any workplace.
Thorpe maintained that her actions were necessary to highlight the need for an inquiry into racism within the parliament. She criticized what she perceives as a double standard regarding acceptable behavior in the Senate, positioning herself as a defender of people of color against racial attacks.
The ongoing tension culminated with Thorpe finding her way back into the Senate chamber despite her suspension, where she raised a fist and shouted “Free Palestine” before leaving voluntarily. This incident has sparked a broader conversation about racism in Australian politics, with the Senate voting to refer an inquiry into the matter to an internal committee.
