One Nation leader stands firm as Senator Thorpe attacks satirical cartoon amid violent threat row
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Pauline Hanson has refused to apologise for a satirical cartoon of Senator Lidia Thorpe, dismissing outrage from Thorpe while AFP Commissioner Krissy Barrett warned about the danger of inflammatory rhetoric and violent threats.
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson defended a cartoon that shows independent Senator Lidia Thorpe being run over by a bus, despite complaints from the senator and demands that the image be removed. The controversy follows a recent car-ramming incident involving independent MP Helen Haines.
In a Monday interview with radio station 2GB, Hanson said she would not apologise for the 2023 cartoon episode, describing it as satirical and saying the images would not be taken down. She also accused AFP Commissioner Krissy Barrett of shifting focus away from the need to protect Australians, while referencing threats made against her.
"Look, this woman’s on the floor of parliament … You should see the hatred coming out of her mouth," Hanson said.
"You’ve got kids out there on streets with ‘kill Pauline Hanson’. ‘I hate Pauline Hanson’, ‘shoot Pauline Hanson’. What does the commissioner do about that? Absolutely nothing," Hanson added.
Senator Thorpe responded by urging Hanson to consider the example she sets and insisting that jokes about violence, especially against women, are unacceptable.
"Making light of violence, particularly against women in this country, is a problem. It’s not something anyone should be joking about," Thorpe told the publication.
Thorpe also said she had reported multiple death threats posted on One Nation’s social media pages that remained unmoderated for months, calling for greater accountability.
AFP Commissioner Barrett earlier urged politicians to speak carefully, linking inflammatory content to an increase in violent threats. The speaker of the House, Milton Dick, reminded parliamentarians of their responsibility to lead by example and to engage in respectful disagreement.
The incident occurs as parliament pays tribute to MP Helen Haines, who is recovering in hospital after being struck by a car in Wangaratta.