Wednesday saw an ugly incident that brought shame on the Senate. It was shocking - full of provocation, accusations of racism, and what was described by Senate president Sue Lines as "physically threatening behaviour".
Author
- Michelle Grattan
Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra
Three women senators were at the centre of the uproar, which culminated in the maverick Lidia Thorpe being suspended, after she had earlier thrown torn-up paper at One Nation's Pauline Hanson.
It started when Hanson moved to question the eligibility of former Labor senator Fatima Payman, now a crossbencher, to sit in parliament. Payman, who came from Afghanistan as a child, had trouble trying to renounce her Afghan citizenship because of the Taliban regime.
It is generally accepted she made every reasonable effort to do so. But that is not enough for Hanson, who claims Payman hasn't provided sufficient documentation. She wants a committee to look into the matter, a proposal rejected by everyone except One Nation and UAP senator Ralph Babet.
Hanson's raising the matter prompted a passionate speech from Payman. She told Hanson "you're not just vindictive, mean, nasty. You bring disgrace to the human race.
"I kept on giving you the benefit of the doubt, Senator Hanson, despite your repetitive attempts to be racist to anyone who does not look like you.
"Senator Hanson has worn the burqa in this place. Maybe it's time that she pack her burqa and go to Afghanistan and talk to the Taliban about this," Payman said.
Thorpe supported Payman, calling Hanson a "convicted racist". During the fracas she tore up Hanson's motion and tossed the paper at her.
Thorpe said outside parliament, "It's a clear example of why we need much better standards around racism in parliament, which can be such a violent, racist place".
To say Thorpe has form in causing disruption is a considerable understatement. Hanson used to be seen as the most inflammatory figure in the Senate but she has been outdone, if that's the word, by the Victorian Indigenous senator whose mantra is the pursuit of "blak sovereignty".
Thorpe recently made national headlines when she disrupted the parliamentary reception during the visit of King Charles. Less than a fortnight ago, the Senate censured her for that.
On Monday this week she referred to Labor Indigenous senators senators as "native police", and only withdrew under protest a day later.
By the end of Wednesday most senators once again had had enough, resolving to take action. Lines, who'd already called out Thorpe's latest conduct, told the chamber that following talks with the leaders of the parties, she had written to Thorpe indicating she should be present at 6pm, when Lines intended to make another statement on the incident. Thorpe had advised her she would not be there.
Moving for Thorpe's suspension - which is only until the end of Thursday when the parliament is due to rise for the year - Senate leader Penny Wong said: "All Australians have a right to be safe at work".
Wong said debate in the Senate too often was "turning to aggression, to hateful and personal attacks".
She said there had been "multiple instances of Thorpe making inappropriate, sometimes abusive comments towards other senators and then disrupting proceedings by refusing to withdraw".
"This fortnight alone, the senator has been censured by the Senate, swore in the chamber repeatedly, made offensive gestures when leaving the chamber and made comments resulting in First Nations senators from across this chamber feeling culturally unsafe.
"And all of that was prior to today's incident.
"This behaviour would not be tolerated in any workplace and we cannot tolerate it in our workplace."
The motion to suspend Thorpe was voted on without debate. Only the Greens opposed it - the colleagues whom Thorpe had deserted in 2023, for the freedom of being an independent.
Greens senator Larissa Waters said Thorpe's behaviour was not appropriate. But it was "in the context of a debate that had racially charged overtones".
Michelle Grattan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
