‘Quick To Punish the Black Woman’: Lidia Thorpe Speaks Out About Suspension

Former Greens Senator Lidia Thorpe has been suspended from the chamber for the rest of the sitting year after alleged “inappropriate and sometimes abusive comments,” invoking an archaic and never-used parliamentary rule. 

Senator Thorpe says the Senate has punished her for speaking out against racism after a rather tense debate in Parliament on Wednesday, November 27, where Senator Thorpe tore up a motion made by Senator Pauline Hanson and proceeded to throw it at her. 

“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,” Senator Thorpe said in a statement to the ABC. 

Senator Hanson had attempted to question Senator Fatima Payman‘s eligibility to sit in parliament under Section 44, which prevents anyone holding a citizenship of another country from sitting in parliament, due to Senator Payman’s not-yet-finalised renouncement of her Afghan citizenship.

Senator Payman was forced to withdraw the comment she made, although she did remark that “Senator Hanson has worn the burqa in this place. Maybe it’s time she pack her burqa and go to Afghanistan and talk to the Taliban about this.”

“All that Senator Hanson has done in this place is spread hatred, spread division,” Senator Payman said. 

Lidia Thorpe suspended from Parliament, passing 46-11 votes

Government Senate leader Penny Wong moved for Thorpe to be suspended from the Senate from Wednesday night until the end of Thursday – the last scheduled sitting day of the year. 

The vote passed 46-11, with only the Greens opposing the motion, which was supported by Labor, the Coalition, One Nation, Ralph Babet, Jacqui Lambie and David Pocock.

Senator Thorpe said to the ABC she wished they had been more concerned about racism in the chamber.

“It’s been a horrible week, and when you’re subjected to racism … I stand up against it. I ripped up a piece of paper.”

“Senator Hanson is a ‘convicted’ racist, she has worn a burqa in the chamber, she baits me regularly with racial taunts,” Senator Thorpe said. 

Earlier this month Senator Hanson was ruled to have racially vilified Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi in a tweet where she told the senator to “piss off back to Pakistan”.

Senator Hanson said on Wednesday she would appeal the court’s finding that she had made a “racist attack” against Senator Faruqi.

Senator Thorpe said the incident allowed her and Senator Faruqi to establish an open inquiry into racism in parliament against Senator Hanson.

She criticised the double standard for accepted behaviour 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 said.

Senator Hanson said in a statement the institution of parliament had been disrespected.

Despite her suspension, Senator Thorpe entered the press gallery stands of Parliament this Thursday morning, where she raised a fist and shouted “Free Palestine” before leaving on her own accord.

“I’ve got the day off today. I’ve been suspended, I’ve been censored,” Thorpe said.