Lambie calls Hanson a 'bloody coward' amid One Nation cartoon row over Hastie 'traitor' claim
Australian senator Jacqui Lambie has sharply criticised One Nation leader Pauline Hanson over an animated cartoon labelling Liberal frontbencher Andrew Hastie a traitor. The dispute stems from Hastie's testimony against Victoria Cross recipient Ben Roberts-Smith in a defamation case.
A political row has escalated in Australia between One Nation leader Pauline Hanson and Liberal frontbencher Andrew Hastie, a former SAS captain, after One Nation posted an animated cartoon on social media repeatedly labelling Hastie a traitor.
Tasmanian senator and veteran Jacqui Lambie strongly defended Hastie on Thursday, saying Hanson should immediately take the cartoon down and was now revealing her "true colours." Lambie described the video as disgusting and full of violence, saying an attack on a veteran who served in the Afghanistan war represents the lowest possible conduct. She called Hanson a "bloody coward" and urged veterans to think twice before voting for or standing with One Nation.
The cartoon relates to Hastie's testimony against Victoria Cross recipient Ben Roberts-Smith in his unsuccessful defamation case against Nine newspapers. Hanson and her billionaire backer, Gina Rinehart, contend Roberts-Smith has been unfairly targeted over war crimes allegations tied to his service between 2009 and 2012.
Hastie said on Thursday he would not pursue legal action against Hanson, citing the financial imbalance given Rinehart's backing, but vowed to impose political costs instead. He argued the episode exposed Hanson as weak, noting he had given her the chance to either own her comments publicly or remove the video, and she did neither.
Opposition leader Angus Taylor also called for the cartoon's removal, citing Hastie's distinguished SAS service. Greens senator David Shoebridge and shadow defence minister James Paterson both condemned Hanson, arguing it was indefensible to attack someone for giving truthful testimony under oath. Hanson denied personally calling Hastie a traitor, though she suggested she would instead call him a different insulting term.
