Independent Senator Lidia Thorpe has blasted Prime Minister Anthony Albanese after he suggested her wild strip club tirade could have been the result of mental health issues.
Dramatic CCTV footage emerged this week of the politician abusing a group of men outside Maxine’s Gentleman’s Club in Brunswick, Victoria, over the weekend, accusing them of stealing her land and making lewd comments about their genitalia.
The incident occurred at around 3am on Sunday, with the footage capturing a man calling Ms Thorpe a “racist dog”.
“Any black man that stands with the f**king white little c**t like that, youse can all get f***ed, too,” the Senator – who earns more than $200,000 a year and who split with the Greens earlier this year – replied.
She also taunted a stranger about his “small penis” and filmed patrons from the door of a waiting taxi.
On Wednesday, the Prime Minister weighed into the drama, labelling Senator Thorpe’s behaviour inappropriate and telling 2SM radio there were “obvious issues that need to be dealt with in terms of her health issues”.
“I hope that Lidia gets some support. I think that that level of behaviour is quite clearly unacceptable,” he continued.
“These are not the actions of anyone who should be participating in society in a normal way, let alone a Senator.
“Lidia needs to be very conscious of the way in which this behaviour has been seen. They are repeat exercises now.”
Mr Albanese then referred to the infamous moment in February when Senator Thorpe blocked the Sydney Mardi Gras parade by lying down in front of a float.
“Why someone would lay in front of that truck in order to get attention is beyond my comprehension and I hope that she gets some form of support,” Mr Albanese said this week.
Senator Thorpe also made headlines in March when she was pushed to ground by police after a clash with anti-trans protesters at the Let Women Speak rally on the Parliament House lawn.
Now, Senator Thorpe has responded to the PM’s comments, labelling them “insulting” and claiming Mr Albanese and her critics are “taking their info from right wing media”.
“My health is not for him to comment. Very inappropriate,” she told the Guardian Australia.
“It’s an attempt to demonise me based on misinformation.
“Nothing new really. Another day in the colony.
“The PM like others are taking their info from right wing media. If that’s any indication of where he thinks truth is told, then that’s on him.”
Meanwhile, a string of politicians from across the political spectrum have condemned Senator Thorpe’s most recent incident, with One Nation senator Pauline Hanson suggesting she should be investigated by police.
Labor Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek said Senator Thorpe’s behaviour was “obviously unacceptable”.
“As for whether the Parliament should have the ability to intervene, I think that‘s something we would have to consider very carefully,” she told Sunrise this week.
Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce also told Sunrise that he had begun to “feel sorry for her”.
“I think that she has to have some serious conversations with a few people about how she is conducting herself and whether it is appropriate and how she gets into that position to act like that,” he told Channel 7.
Tasmanian Senator Jacqui Lambie added there was “no way of getting out of this”.
“I think that when you are out that late and you put yourself in that sort of situation, you better take responsibility for your actions,” she told Sky News.
“You are a politician, and sometimes we do muck up, but not taking any responsibility for that yourself is not very helpful.
“If you do not think you’re in a good way, go and do what the rest of us do – go and get some counselling or psychology because quite frankly, something needs to be done.
“But I would say this to Lidia: you just cannot keep doing this. A good start would be admitting you are part of the problem and the responsibility of your own actions need to be taken into your own hands.”