ABC retracts Lidia Thorpe's false claim about Pauline Hanson

On November 28, 2024, during a session in the Parliament, Senator Pauline Hanson attempted to question the eligibility of former Labor Senator Fatima Payman, who holds dual Afghan citizenship. According to Section 44C of the Australian Constitution, a federal politician cannot serve while holding foreign citizenship. This event unfolded amid a tumultuous atmosphere, where Hanson's proposition triggered remarks from Senator Lidia Thorpe, who later faced disciplinary actions for her disruptive behavior including throwing papers and using offensive gestures. The incident led to a significant outburst from Thorpe, as she shouted political slogans related to Palestine even after being removed from the session. Her behavior received criticism from officials including Foreign Minister Penny Wong, who emphasized the need for appropriate conduct in professional settings. The discrepancies in Thorpe’s statements continued when she made an inaccurate claim on the ABC Breakfast program, asserting that Hanson was a “convicted racist.” Thorpe's remark was based on a civil ruling regarding a past statement made by Hanson that was deemed racially discriminatory towards Greens Deputy Leader Mehreen Faruqi. However, this case was a civil trial and did not result in a criminal conviction, making Thorpe's characterization of Hanson inaccurate. ABC News Breakfast host Bridget Brennan took the initiative to publicly correct this misinformation, stating that a conviction could not occur in a civil proceeding and emphasizing the importance of maintaining factual integrity in public discourse. This broader context of verbal confrontations and resulting media corrections reflect the charged atmosphere in Australian politics regarding race and citizenship discussions. The incident has sparked ongoing dialogue about the conduct of politicians and the responsibilities of media outlets in representing public figures accurately, raising substantial questions regarding political accountability and the impact of public statements in shaping voter perceptions.