Lidia Thorpe has barged back into parliament after being suspended to scream about ‘genocide’ outside the Senate doors.
On Wednesday, the rogue senator tore up documents regarding fellow independent senator Fatima Payman’s parliamentary eligibility before tossing them at the One Nation leader Pauline Hanson and repeatedly branding her as a ‘convicted racist’.
Senator Thorpe then appeared to flip her middle finger over her shoulder as she stormed out of the chamber.
The Senate on Wednesday night passed a motion to suspend Senator Thorpe for ‘disorderly conduct’ from the chamber until the end of Thursday, which is also the final scheduled parliamentary sitting day of 2024.
Senator Thorpe had tabled a private members bill about genocide but was unable to debate it due to her ban.
Yet, she still turned up on Thursday morning to shout outside the chamber doors.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong swivelled around in her seat as the speaker calmy requested security to ‘shut the doors of the chamber, please’.
But Senator Thorpe then turned up in the press gallery where she shouted ‘free free Palestine, from the river to the sea Palestine will be free’ before leaving, according to the ABC.
Senator Lidia Thorpe then turned up in the press gallery where she shouted ‘free free Palestine , from the river to the sea Palestine will be free’ before leaving (pictured: Ms Thorpe outside parliament after her protest)
After shouting about ‘genocide’ outside the Senate doors, Senator Thorpe (pictured) then turned up in the press gallery where she shouted ‘free free Palestine , from the river to the sea Palestine will be free’ before leaving
The motion moved by Labor Senate leader Penny Wong was passed 46-11 in Senator Thorpe’s absence on Thursday.
‘We all have a responsibility for our behaviour, whether in this place or contributing to public debate,’ Senator Wong told the Senate.
‘We are all elected to represent Australians and their interests.’
After leaving Parliament, Senator Thorpe raised her fist in the air while wearing a top that read ‘Peaceful Palestinians’.
‘It’s no coincidence that this government chose today to suspend me from the Senate,’ Senator Thorpe posted on X.
‘My private senators bill on genocide was due to be debated. Labor have done all they can to shut down this bill and silence those who call out genocide and injustice.
She warned: ‘We will not be silent.’
Senator Thorpe claimed her bill would strip the Attorney-General of his power to block the prosecution of Genocide and other atrocity crimes in Australian Courts.
‘My Bill would help get political interference out of our legal system to give victims and survivors of these most heinous crimes a better chance at justice,’ she said.
‘It would also mean that our government can be held accountable for their own actions, both overseas and here.
‘No politician should get to say who can and can’t be held accountable in our legal system, particularly in relation to the most atrocious crimes like genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.
‘Whether you’re a Palestinian Australian who has seen your family murdered in Gaza, or a Blak Mother wanting to hold this government to account for the ongoing removal of First Nations children, my bill would give people in this country a better chance for justice.’
