Hanson's insult warning to Thorpe from Nine Network: 'Extremely irresponsible'

Pauline Hanson’s lawyers have sent a libel notice to Senator Lidia Thorpe, who claimed the One Nation leader was a “convicted racist”, and to the Nine Network for publishing the remarks.

Hanson shared copies of the letters on X on Thursday afternoon, following Thorpe’s interview on Nine’s Today program that morning.

In it, he referred to Hanson as a “convicted racist.”

This comes after a fiery day in the Senate on Wednesday, when Thorpe ripped up a motion by Hanson to raise questions. . Payman was born in Afghanistan and Due to this, the process has become almost impossible. .

“Senator Hanson has done so much that he becomes a convicted racist,” Thorpe said on Thursday’s Today show.

“His ; “He regularly provokes me with racist taunts, and what he did to Senator Payman was question his legitimacy here.”

Thorpe did not explain what he meant by “convicted racist,” but Hanson earlier this month When he told Muslim Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi to pack her bags and go back to Pakistan. This was a civil determination, not a criminal conviction, and Hanson appealed the decision.

Hanson’s lawyer, Anthony Jefferies of Gillis Delaney Lawyers, wrote in his letter to Thorpe that there was “no such conviction” against Hanson.

“Your use of this language on national television is extremely irresponsible,” Jefferies wrote in his letter.

“Given how obviously false your claim is, there is no way this could have happened wrongly.

“We request that you immediately and publicly retract the allegation that our client has been convicted of a criminal offense and apologize to him for your inappropriate behavior.”

And writing to Nine’s Kiah Officer, the network’s legal counsel, Jefferies said: “It is deeply irresponsible for Nine to air this allegation unredacted on national television.”

He also said Nine should retract the claim and apologize to Hanson, which should happen on the Today show on Friday morning. Both letters were titled “Defamation of Senator Pauline Hanson.”

The Nine Network said in a statement on Thursday afternoon: “TODAY wishes to clarify that Senator Hanson has not been criminally convicted of racism and any suggestions to the contrary are firmly withdrawn.”

SBS News has contacted Thorpe’s office for comment.

‘It was a terrible week’

thorpe for the remainder of the session week after canceling the motion and giving senators the middle finger.

In a separate interview with the ABC on Thursday morning, Thorpe said: “I’m not someone who’s going to stay quiet and let this happen. I’d do it again.”

“It’s been a terrible week and when you’re subjected to racism… I stand up to that. I tore up a piece of paper.”

She questioned Parliament’s response to racism and criticized being labeled a “naughty little Blak girl”.

“They’re quick to punish the Blak woman here for speaking up, but I’m responding to racism and that’s what they should be focusing on,” she said.

“Apparently there’s only one rule for white people who get away with racism, and there’s only one rule for us when we call it out: We’re the ones with the naughty little Blak girl.”

Speaking on the motion that led to Thorpe’s dismissal, Government Senate leader Penny Wong said there were “numerous examples where Senator Thorpe made inappropriate and sometimes abusive comments towards other senators”.

“All Australians have the right to feel safe at work… this behavior will not be tolerated in any workplace and we will not tolerate it in our workplace,” he said.

The motion was passed by 45 votes to 11, with the Green Party voting against it in solidarity with their former colleagues.

Two women, one sitting, the other standing, are chatting.

Government Senate leader Penny Wong said there were “numerous examples of Thorpe making inappropriate and sometimes abusive comments towards other senators”. Source: Getty / Martin Ollman

However, Thorpe criticized Wong’s comments and called on the government to do more to tackle racism in parliament.

“Senator Hanson and others should not be allowed to spread hate speech in our workplace. Pauline Hanson walked in there wearing a burqa. She constantly spews racism and disgusting violence against us and everyone of color against the backdrop.” he said.

“This is not acceptable behavior either. Why don’t Wong and (Simon) Birmingham speak up about this?”

Thorpe said the incident was evidence that an open inquiry into racism in parliament was needed.

The Senate voted Monday to refer the racism investigation to an internal committee.

The suspension prevented Thorpe from introducing a private member’s genocide-related bill on Thursday that aims to strip the attorney general’s power to block the prosecution of genocide or war crimes.

Thorpe questioned the timing of the suspension.

“It was very appropriate that I was removed from office today when that bill was about to be voted on,” he said.

On Thursday morning, Thorpe walked into the Senate press gallery viewing area and chanted “free Palestine.” He then left the room.

‘It was a terrible week’

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