Lidia Thorpe explodes and storms out on first Senate sitting day of the year: ‘No pride in genocide’

Independent Senator Lidia Thorpe dramatically stormed out of the Senate during a fiery debate over a Greens motion condemning the Albanese Government’s decision to invite Israeli President Isaac Herzog to Australia.

Thorpe erupted as Labor Senator Anthony Chisholm explained why the Government would not back the Greens’ proposal.

‘No pride in genocide!’ she shouted across the chamber.

‘We should not have Herzog here.’

With that, Thorpe rose from her chair and walked out. 

The Senate is meeting for the first official sitting of the year, two weeks after the short emergency sitting, which was called to pass laws in the wake of the Bondi Beach terror attack.  

Earlier Greens Senator David Shoebridge said that the invitation to Herzog was ‘disgraceful’, and said that the government ‘did not care’ that his visit would cause civil unrest. 

‘We’ve seen the photo of President Herzog signing bombs that were sent into Gaza, he is accused by a UN Commission of Inquiry of inciting genocide,’ Shoebridge said. 

‘What the hell is Labor doing inviting someone like that to Australia?’ 

Shoebridge and the Greens called for the government to rescind the invitation. 

‘Next week this government will be providing the red carpet for a man who is inciting genocide,’ he said. 

‘When someone is accused by the United Nations of genocide, you don’t invite them to tea.’ 

Liberal Senate Leader Michaelia Cash accused the Greens of political ‘grandstanding’.

‘There are three certainties in life, the first is unfortunately death, the second is taxes. But the third… is the Greens hatred of Israel,’ she said. 

‘This is another day, another stunt in the lives of the Australian Greens.’ 

Greens Leader Larissa Waters and Senator Penny Allman-Payne heckled Cash as she spoke. 

‘Israel is committing a genocide,’ Waters said.