Lydia Thorpe’s pathetic antics at a reception for King Charles III were no worse than Murray Watt’s cheap shot at One Nation leader Senator Pauline Hanson on the ABC’s Q&A programme last night.

Senator Hanson called on the media and other senators—who knew exactly how she was being treated by Senator Thorpe in the chamber—to call out Senator Watt’s lies.

“Everyone who regularly observes the Senate knows how inappropriate Thorpe’s behaviour is towards me,” she said. “Even Labor senators tell me in private how appalled they are by the way Thorpe treats me. Why won’t they call it out? Because I’m Pauline Hanson. “They happily enable and tolerate behaviour towards me they would never accept if it was directed at them.

“And because I’m Pauline Hanson—and because One Nation is a clear threat to Labor in the Queensland state election—I live rent-free in Murray Watt’s head. It can’t be easy for Watt watching his party go down the toilet in Queensland, but that’s not a legitimate excuse for what he said.”

Senator Hanson said she had appealed to the leaders of the government and the opposition in the Senate, and Senate President Sue Lines, to change the chamber’s seating arrangements and keep Thorpe at a distance.

“I’ve called out Thorpe’s behaviour with these senators and noted much of it could be prevented if they just moved her away,” she said. “It’s fallen on deaf ears.

“Labor only have themselves to blame for being so incredibly stupid to invite Thorpe to the royal reception. What did they think was going to happen? Labor only have themselves to blame for accepting Thorpe’s vote in support of their destructive legislative agenda, and Labor routinely disrupt normal proceedings of the Senate, demanding this appalling agenda is passed according to their timetable.

“Watt needs to apologise. I will not be lumped in with Thorpe’s pathetic antics just because Labor’s facing a bloodbath of its own making in Queensland.”