“CALL ME B*H? TRY TO SAY IT AGAIN!” – Lidia Thorpe Accuses Pauline Hanson of Insulting Her in Parliament, Hanson Responds Sharply, Silencing the Whole House**
Canberra, March 9, 2026 – A heated confrontation between independent Senator Lidia Thorpe and One Nation leader Pauline Hanson turned today’s Parliamentary question session into a national media focus. Lidia Thorpe publicly accused Hanson of calling her a “bitch” in the middle of the session, while Hanson responded with sharp words that left the House of Commons in stunned silence.
The incident erupted when Thorpe – who is known for his strong stance on indigenous rights and anti-colonialism – was questioning the government’s immigration and border security policies. During the heated debate, Thorpe suddenly stopped, pointed directly at Hanson and declared before the entire Congress:
“She just called me a bitch! Right here on the floor of Congress! Is this how she debates? Personal insults instead of responding with reason?”
The entire meeting room seemed to hold its breath. The lawmakers looked at each other, television cameras panning quickly toward Hanson. The Chairman of the National Assembly had to knock his gavel twice to request order before Hanson stood up to respond.
With a calm but razor-sharp voice, Pauline Hanson looked straight at Thorpe and said:
“You want to talk about that again? Fine. I don’t call you a bitch because of the color of your skin or your origin. I call you a bitch because of the way you act – screaming, interrupting, insulting others, then playing the victim. If you can’t stand that word, then don’t expect anyone else to be able to stand your attitude. Congress is not the place for you to put on a show.”
Hanson’s response left the House of Commons silent for a few seconds – a rare phenomenon in a place often filled with boos and debate. Some opposition MPs (especially from the Greens and Labor) appeared upset, but no one spoke out immediately. One Nation and some conservative lawmakers applauded scatteredly.
Assembly Speaker Scott Buchholz eventually intervened: “I ask both senators to keep their language consistent with the Congressional code of conduct. We are debating policy, not personal attacks.”
Immediate reaction from the public and media
Within just 30 minutes, the short clip spread throughout social networks. The hashtags #ThorpeVsHanson and #BitchGate quickly reached the top trends in Australia. Reaction was sharply divided:
Thorpe’s supporters (mainly the aboriginal community, the left, and some young people) called this evidence that Hanson was “racist and sexist”. A post on Hanson’s supporters (mainly conservative voters, rural voters, and hard-line immigration policy supporters) said that Thorpe “caused drama to burnish his image.”
A popular comment: “Thorpe screams and insults others all the time, but now he plays the victim in response. Stop pretending.”
Major newspapers quickly got involved. The Guardian Australia headline: “Hanson accuses Thorpe of ‘playing the victim’ after being accused of being called a ‘bitch'”. News.com.au chooses a different perspective: “Hanson responds to Thorpe uncompromisingly: ‘Don’t expect others to tolerate your attitude'”.
The scene is tense between the two characters
Lidia Thorpe and Pauline Hanson have long been polar opposites in Australian politics. Thorpe – an independent senator of Gunnai-Gunditjmara-Dja Dja Wurrung aboriginal origin – is famous for his strong protest actions, once snatching the flag from the hands of King Charles III’s bodyguards in 2024 and frequently criticizing the government’s policies towards indigenous people.
Hanson – leader of One Nation – is a symbol of the populist right, with his anti-immigration, anti-multicultural stance, and has been repeatedly accused of racism.
The two have clashed directly many times, especially during debates on the Voice to Parliament law (2023) and refugee policy. This time, the topic was immigration reform, but it quickly turned into personal attacks – something not uncommon in the Australian Parliament, but rarely so public as to call each other derogatory terms.
Consequences and public opinion
Less than 24 hours after the incident, the Senate President announced he would consider a complaint from Thorpe about Hanson’s “inappropriate language.” At the same time, Hanson also filed a counterclaim against Thorpe for “continuously disruptive and insulting behavior.”
On social media, the hashtag war continues: #StandWithLidia and #HansonTellsItStraight compete fiercely. A snap poll on Sky News showed that 54% of respondents approved of Hanson’s response (“speaking to his face”), while 39% said both “embarrassed Parliament”.
Whatever the political outcome, the case once again highlights the deep polarization in Australian politics: between those who support a strong Indigenous voice and those who support a hard-line stance on immigration and national identity. And at its center are two powerful women, ready for uncompromising confrontation.
Neither Thorpe nor Hanson made new comments after the session. But one thing is certain: the war between them is not over – and the whole country is watching every next word.