Senator calls suspension motion ‘line in the sand’ moment – as it happened

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Key events

What we learned today, Wednesday 27 November

That’s it for today, thanks for reading. Here are the main stories:

  • The Senate passed a motion suspending Lidia Thorpe from the chamber until the end of Thursday – the last scheduled parliamentary sitting day of the yea, after she appeared to throw paper at Pauline Hanson during a tense parliamentary debate earlier today.

  • That debate came due to Hanson’s bid for Payman to be referred for investigation, sparking an extraordinary row in the Senate this morning. Hanson’s bid failed, but not before she was accused of being racist by Payman. She objected to Payman’s comments and Payman was asked, and agreed, to withdraw the comments about alleged racism.

  • The social media ban for under-16s bill is still due to be debated in the Senate later this evening. The government has listed some of the previously telegraphed amendments to the bill that were needed to secure the opposition’s support.

  • The foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, welcomed the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hezbollah

  • NSW police commissioner Karen Webb said the death of a 95-year-old woman after she was shot with a taser gun by a police officer was a “terrible tragedy” and that Kristian White’s future as police officer was ‘under consideration.’

  • More than 20 Rising Tide protesters were arrested for blocking the roads to federal Parliament House after they took their protest from Newcastle to Canberra today.

  • Shortly before the vote on Labor’s Help to Buy bill took place, prime minister Anthony Albanese rose to speak and criticised his political opponents, namely the opposition and the Greens, for “reckless obstructionism and rank opportunism”.

  • The prime minister also killed off any deal with the Greens over the government’s Nature Positive legislation to establish a national environmental protection authority.

  • Independent Andrew Wilkie said he doesn’t think government will address ban on gambling ads before next election, after he backflipped on under-16s social media ban, saying ‘the whole thing’s nonsense.’

  • The climate change and energy minister, Chris Bowen, claimed the government it is on track to meet its legislated 43% emissions reduction target by 2030.

  • ABC chair Kim Williams addressed the National Press Club, where he said ‘dissatisfaction’ with mainstream media ‘needs to be taken more seriously.’

  • A director for Palestinian aid agency, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (Unrwa), has urged the Australian government to “punch above its weight” and lobby Israel “very, very hard” after Israel’s parliament voted to ban the aid agency and designate it a terror organisation last month.

  • The headline inflation rate held steady, and at its lowest in three years

  • A Jetstar flight from Sydney to Phuket has had to turn around this afternoon due to a mechanical issue.

  • NSW premier, Chris Minns, called on residents of Sydney to reduce their power consumption, amid ongoing risks of power outages due to the heatwave gripping the east coast.

  • Rogue taxi drivers in New South Wales who don’t use their meter, overcharge or refuse short trips will soon be banished from the industry if they’re convicted of fare misbehaviour twice.

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Hanson ‘pleased’ with suspension after experiencing ‘barbs’, she says

Sarah Basford Canales

Pauline Hanson says she’s “pleased” to see Thorpe’s suspension from the Senate after allegedly experiencing a number of “barbs” and “jabs” while sitting near her in the upper chamber.

Hanson said:

Each and every one of you know that since Senator Thorpe has been in this place, it has been the downfall of this chamber because of her aggression towards calling each and every one of us, who is white, that we are colonialists, that we have stolen the land. That’s not what this place is about, and that’s why I’m pleased to see … something had to be done to rein it in.

The One Nation senator alleged she was told by Thorpe to “go back where you came from” and told she “had privileges”.

Hanson was earlier accused of being racist by independent senator Fatima Payman. She objected to Payman’s comments and Payman was asked, and agreed, to withdraw the comments about alleged racism.

Hanson also took aim at the Greens, who voted against the suspension but said they did not condone Thorpe’s behaviour.

I will say to the Greens, it’s one of your mates, I know. You got her elected to this place, but stick with the facts, which I always try to do in this place, and it has to be a safe workplace.

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Jetstar flight to Phuket turns back to Sydney after wheel damaged during take-off

A Jetstar flight from Sydney to Phuket has had to turn around earlier this afternoon due to a mechanical issue.

The flight landed safely in Sydney just after 5pm, with the pilots requesting a priority landing after one of the plane’s 10 wheels were damaged during take off.

A spokesperson for Jetstar said their engineers were investigating the issue:

Our flight from Sydney to Phuket landed normally this afternoon after returning to Sydney due to a mechanical issue. Our pilots requested a priority landing and emergency services met the aircraft as a precaution. One of the aircraft’s 10 wheels was damaged during take-off and our engineers are investigating the cause.

A Sydney airport spokesperson said the main runway had to be closed for half an hour to allow the plane to land safely.

They said that while there weren’t any “significant” disruptions, there may be some flight delays throughout the evening:

Earlier this afternoon an aircraft requested a return to the airport shortly after departure, landing safely just before 5pm.

Our main runway was closed for approximately 30 mins to allow the aircraft to land, get towed to a gate, and for a runway inspection to take place.

Normal operations have resumed and while we do not expect any significant disruptions, there may be some delays throughout the evening.

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Josh Butler

Josh Butler

Going back to the Senate vote on the Thorpe suspension vote, it was 46-11 in favour of ordering her out of the chamber until the end of tomorrow.

The Coalition, Labor, Ralph Babet, One Nation, Jacqui Lambie and David Pocock voted for the suspension.

Only the Greens voted no. Thorpe was not in the chamber and did not vote.

Ralph Babet and Pauline Hanson during the vote to suspend Thorpe. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian
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Thorpe suspension motion ‘line in the sand’, Birmingham says

Josh Butler

Josh Butler

Coalition Senate leader Simon Birmingham called the motion to suspend Lidia Thorpe a “line in the sand” moment, claiming the independent senator had “crossed a line” in her actions earlier today.

Birmingham said the Senate must have standards of behaviour, and senators must show respect to one another in exercising the privileges that federal politicians enjoy.

He accused the Greens of a “shameful double standard” in opposing the suspension motion for Thorpe, claiming the minor party members would not tolerate similar behaviour from other senators.

Greens Senate leader Larissa Waters said her party did not condone the use of physical violence, and did not support Thorpe’s actions, but said they didn’t believe suspending her for a whole day was a “proportionate and appropriate response”.

Waters noted Thorpe had a private senators’ bill on the notice paper for tomorrow, and that it would be unfair to deny her the chance to speak about that bill. She said politicians “do need to set the standard”.

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Lidia Thorpe suspended from Senate until end of Thursday

Josh Butler

Josh Butler

The Senate has passed a motion suspending Lidia Thorpe from the chamber until the end of Thursday – the last scheduled parliamentary sitting day of the year.

A motion moved by government Senate leader Penny Wong was passed overwhelmingly, 46-11.

Thorpe will be suspended from the Senate until the end of tomorrow.

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Josh Butler

Josh Butler

The Senate is now dividing to vote on whether Thorpe will be suspended until the end of tomorrow. The Greens appear to be opposing the government and Coalition’s motion.

Labor, the Coalition, One Nation and Ralph Babet are backing the motion – so it looks like it will pass and Thorpe will be suspended.

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Josh Butler

Josh Butler

Lidia Thorpe is not in the Senate as her colleagues debate whether she should be suspended. Penny Wong claims Thorpe engaged in “aggression” and “hateful personal attacks”.

Wong, the government Senate leader, alleges there have been “multiple instances of Senator Thorpe making inappropriate, sometimes abusive comments towards other senators”. Wong accuses Thorpe of having “increasingly engaged in such behaviour”.

Wong says all senators should be treated with respect so that the parliament can operate in the interests of all Australians.

If Thorpe was in the Senate, she would be given the chance to speak in her defence or make an explanation. Senate president Sue Lines says Thorpe declined to be in the chamber for the vote.

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Penny Wong moves for vote to suspend Lidia Thorpe from Senate

Josh Butler

Josh Butler

Government Senate leader Penny Wong is moving for Lidia Thorpe to be suspended from the Senate until the end of tomorrow – the last scheduled sitting day of the year.

Senate president Sue Lines said Thorpe’s behaviour earlier in the day, tearing up paper and throwing it at Pauline Hanson, was “not acceptable” and that such behaviour “will not be tolerated”.

Lines said she had informed Thorpe of the discussion to take place at 6pm, but that Thorpe had informed her she wouldn’t attend the Senate.

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Labor and Coalition considering vote to suspend Lidia Thorpe from Senate

Josh Butler

Josh Butler

Lidia Thorpe could be suspended from the Senate under an arcane and little-used rule of the chamber, after she appeared to throw paper at Pauline Hanson during a tense parliamentary debate earlier today.

Guardian Australia understands Labor and the Coalition are considering seeking a suspension motion against Thorpe, the Green turned independent senator, after escalating interruptions in the parliament in recent weeks.

It’s understood the major parties have become increasingly irritated by Thorpe’s interjections in the Senate since she was censured last week for her comments at the reception for King Charles.

Senators have been informed to attend the chamber after 6pm where the motion is expected to be debated.

Sources said the Senate leaders of the major parties were meeting on Wednesday night to discuss the motion.

Senate president Sue Lines earlier on Wednesday said Senate standing order 203 “provides an avenue for dealing with disorderly conduct. It includes a process to enable senators to explain their conduct or apologise for it.”

That rule allows a senator to be suspended for the rest of the day, and for longer periods for subsequent interruptions.

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Sarah Basford Canales

Sarah Basford Canales

Parliament House briefly closed to public as security heightened for Rising Tide protest

Security at Parliament House was on higher alert than usual today as hundreds gathered for the Rising Tide rally earlier.

Shortly before question time, the front entrance to Parliament House was briefly closed to the public and access was limited to the public galleries for the House of Representatives and Senate.

Rising Tide protest and police actions on the front lawns and road in front of Parliament House. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian

As we reported earlier, more than 20 Rising Tide protesters were arrested for blocking the roads to federal Parliament House after they took their protest from Newcastle to Canberra today.

Rising Tide organiser, Alexa Stuart, told my colleague, Jordan Beazley, that about 100 protesters moved to block the road while about 50 others occupied the parliament house foyer.

Rising Tide protest and police actions on the front lawns and road in front of Parliament House. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian

In a statement on the temporary closures, the presiding officers said:

These decisions were made on security advice and for the safety of all building occupants.

Even before the rally started, the public entrance was filled with parliamentary security and Australian federal police.

Security appeared to be undertaking additional bag checks as visitors and staff working in the building entered Parliament House.

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