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0 The president of the Senate has issued a stern warning to senators Lidia Thorpe and Hollie Hughes after a heated racism row in the chamber earlier this week.
Firebrand independent senator Thorpe accused Senator Hughes of racism during a debate over the safeguard mechanism on Tuesday evening.
The matter was put to the side pending further investigation by Senate President Sue Lines, who issued a statement on Thursday afternoon demanding higher standards from all politicians in the Senate.
‘It is unacceptable that senators continue to disregard the authority of the chair while points of order are raised and determined,’ she said.
‘I intend to take a firmer line in calling the chamber to order, particularly in question time.
‘In order to preserve the dignity of the chamber, I remind all senators of the behaviour codes and your endorsement of these codes in this chamber and the other place.’
Firebrand independent senator Thorpe accused senator Hughes of racism during a debate over the safeguard mechanism on Tuesday evening
Ms Hughes muttered ‘how many times has that happened today?’ as Ms Thorpe acknowledged traditional custodians of the Beetaloo Basin in her speech.
The comment was too faint to hear on playback footage, but was picked up on the official transcript and was clearly heard by Ms Thorpe, who was speaking on the opposite end of the chamber about the impact of climate change and colonisation.
‘Is that racism? Can I just call out racism in this chamber right now, please?’ Senator Thorpe asked acting deputy president Linda Reynolds.
‘I am in my workplace, and I don’t need racists being racist while I’m reading my speech.
‘Can you make sure that I am not targeted with racism while I’m trying to do my job, please?’
Ms Hughes immediately hit back, jumping to her feet and pointing at Ms Thorpe as she said it was inappropriate ‘to be referring to anyone in this place as racist’.
Ms Hughes immediately hit back, jumping to her feet and pointing at Ms Thorpe as she said it was inappropriate ‘to be referring to anyone in this place as racist’
The clash descended into shouting and finger pointing as Ms Hughes continued to demand Ms Thorpe withdraw the ‘absolutely inappropriate’ comment.
Following a review of the incident, the senate president concluded Ms Thorpe asking whether an interjection was racist did not breach standing orders, but her later accusation did.
She was ordered to withdraw her comment.
Ms Lines ruled the chair at the time should have sought Ms Hughes to clarify or withdraw her initial interjection as Ms Thorpe found it ‘personally offensive’.
‘However, because of the subsequent disorder, that was not possible. In those circumstances, I think it would be appropriate for Senator Hughes to either withdraw or clarify her remarks,’ she added.
The Liberal senator promptly withdrew her comment ‘in order to maintaining dignity of the chamber’.
Ms Lines ruled the chair at the time (pictured) should have sought Ms Hughes to clarify or withdraw her initial interjection as Ms Thorpe found it ‘personally offensive’
Speaking to Sky News later on Wednesday evening, Ms Hughes said her claim was not racially motivated before firing back with her own accusation.
‘I’m getting fed up to the teeth with Lidia Thorpe referring to anyone who’s not Indigenous as a coloniser,’ Senator Hughes said.
‘I find that racist, I find it offensive.’
Ms Thorpe had been discussing the Safeguard Mechanism Amendment Bill and commending the Greens – her former party – on the concessions they won from Labor regarding coal and gas mining.
The safeguard mechanism, which was initiated by the coalition government but is being overhauled by Labor, will apply to the country’s 215 biggest emitters and force them to reduce their emissions by 4.9 per cent each year
She said: ‘Last week the IPCC sounded a final warning alarm on the climate crisis. This crisis began over 250 years ago in this country, with colonisation. Climate change and its root causes cannot be separated from colonisation.
‘This land is our mother, and we are killing her. Every time a new coal pit is dug, she is wounded. With every new fracking well that is driven into her veins, she bleeds.’
Senator Thorpe noted First Nations people are hit ‘first and worst by the impacts of climate change’, yet have not benefitted from the industry.
‘These are industries that have generated trillions of dollars of stolen wealth, all at the cost of polluting and killing our lands, our waters and our skies,’ she said.
‘We are in a climate crisis, though I would like to remind you all that the majority of First Nations people have been in crisis every day since colonisation, as we have been pushed off our land and forced to stand back and watch the colonial project destroy our lands and waters in the pursuit of extracting fossil fuels. For this reason there can be no climate justice without First Nations justice.’
Source: | This article originally belongs to Dailymail.co.uk
