Pauline Hanson has defended a One Nation cartoon showing independent Senator Lidia Thorpe being run over by a bus, even as politicians from across the political spectrum call for a lowering of temperatures following the attack on Helen Haines last week.
Senator Hanson — who last week was forced into an embarrassing apology of sorts after initially defending a cartoon mocking the health condition of Senator Jacqui Lambie — has not taken down two historic cartoons depicting both Senator Thorpe and Anthony Albanese being hit by a bus. She defended herself on Monday, arguing the work is satire.
Her comments prompted Senator Thorpe to say the far-right Senator should be "thinking carefully about the example she is setting," with the Gunnai, Gunditjmara and Djab Wurring woman also accusing One Nation of leaving violent death threats against her unmoderated on its social media feeds for months.
"I've had to report a number of death threats against me that were posted by social media users on Senator Hanson's own social media pages, in response to posts her page had published about me," she said.
"I have screenshots of these."
Senator Thorpe has been open about the threats she has received as a politician, telling the ABC last week she worries about her safety every day, with the Australian Federal Police (AFP) previously telling her not to go home because of safety concerns.
"To see other politicians being [allegedly] attacked like this, it's like, where do we cross the line?" she said. "What kind of country are we becoming with so much hate?"
Speaking on 2GB on Monday, Senator Hanson said she would not apologise for the 2023 cartoon episode Under the Bus, arguing, "you should see the hatred coming out of her [Senator Thorpe's] mouth" in Parliament.
"So don't tell me about my cartoons because they're satirical," the One Nation Senator said. "And besides, that last episode happened years ago in the cartoon."
She also defended her Please Explain cartoon series, which has been widely popular but has stirred controversy, stating on X on Sunday night: "They will not be going anywhere."
In response to the Queensland Senator's comments, Senator Thorpe said: "If her supporters are making death threats against other politicians, that should be a red flag, and she should reflect on what sort of leadership qualities she is showing, and what sorts of things she is making light of."
"We can disagree fiercely about politics, we can have a laugh at each other, but making jokes about violence is not on."
The attack on Dr Haines last week has prompted an outpouring of grief. The link between inflamed political rhetoric and the rise in violent threats was also highlighted by AFP Commissioner Krissy Barrett, who called on politicians to speak carefully.
Liberal frontbencher and former SAS captain Andrew Hastie, who was labelled a coward in one of the Please Explain cartoons, called on politicians to leave the "nasty personal politics of MAGA" to the United States.
There can be no place for the "targeted destruction of character" or the "relentless demonisation of personality," he said, telling Parliament it "only takes one person with a twisted mind or a perverted sense of reality to strike out, to weaponise a car, a kitchen knife or a firearm, and to feel justified in doing so".
"What we say here or online shapes the political culture," he said. "We can all do better and we should strive to do better. So let's play the ball, not the person."
Senator Thorpe said Monday should be about "centring" Dr Haines, with Parliament paying tribute to the independent MP, who remains in hospital.
"She has shown what good political leadership looks like — treating people with respect, being committed to her community and appealing to people's sense of goodwill," Senator Thorpe said.
"We should be talking about Helen, not giving Pauline Hanson another platform to turn it into an argument about herself as a victim. She doesn't need the spotlight today."
