Pauline Hanson hoses down any suggestion of a friendship with Lidia Thorpe after show of support

Pauline Hanson has dismissed suggestions that she and Lidia Thorpe have eased their frosty relationship after the Greens independent senator appeared to support her.

The pair were first photographed side by side on Wednesday, weeks after the One Nation leader’s team complained about the Senate’s “inappropriate” lineup.

But they appeared cheerful at least for part of Question Time, especially when Senator Hanson addressed First Nations sovereignty issues.

She asked, “Does the Albanian government support the establishment of a sovereign, independent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nation in Australia, yes or no?”

After Penny Wong, representing the Prime Minister, poked around the answer and suggested that Senator Hanson might have had some misguided motivation for asking such a question, Senator Thorpe popped her head in laughter.

And while some onlookers may have interpreted Senator Thorpe’s response to the question as an olive branch, a spokesperson for Senator Hanson told Daily Mail Australia she has no intention of smoothing things over.

After Penny Wong, representing the Prime Minister, deflected the answer and suggested that Senator Hanson might have misplaced motivation for asking such a question, Senator Thorpe popped her head in laughter.

Daily Mail Australia understands that Senator Thorpe thought the line of questioning was brilliant, and thoroughly enjoyed the back and forth, and he told Senator Hanson as much.

Senator Wong said, “The issue of sovereignty is something that First Nations people, including in this place, have made very clear claims. You would have heard Senator Stewart and others talking about the First Nations not relinquishing their sovereignty.

“But if the question goes to two nations, we’re the nation of Australia.”

Senator Thorpe later told Daily Mail Australia: “Sovereignty is what we need to talk about in this country, that’s why we need a treaty, from sovereign to sovereign.”

And while the two senators on opposite sides of the political spectrum have differing views on the issue of First Nations sovereignty, both want the government to address it.

Senate photos show Senator Thorpe beaming at Senator Hanson during the exchange.

But just after the apparently hot moment, Senator Hanson stood up and moved back a row.

A spokesman for Senator Hanson told Daily Mail Australia she had made a point not to accept praise she received from Senator Thorpe immediately after her confrontation with Penny Wong.

“Senator Hanson made it very clear that it was inappropriate for Senator Thorpe to sit next to her.

‘[Today] Senator Hanson didn’t even acknowledge her. She has no time for her.’

But after the apparently warm moment, Senator Hanson stood up and moved back a row to be seated elsewhere

Senators Hanson (right) and Thorpe (left) during a previous Senate exchange in March 2021

The spokesperson confirmed that tensions were still simmering – at least as far as the One Nation leader is concerned – brushing aside any suggestions of an unlikely alliance between the pair.

Later, when Senator Thorpe put her own question to Senator Murray Watt, representing the Attorney General, Senator Hanson quietly left the chambers.

She asked whether the government would ensure full implementation of all 339 recommendations made over 30 years ago in the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody.

When Senator Watt began discussing his friendship with Senator Dodson, who had recently berated the government for inaction, Senator Thorpe intervened.

“We all have an Aboriginal friend,” she said. When are you going to save lives? Black lives matter.’

Daily Mail Australia understands that Senator Thorpe thought the set of questions was brilliant, and thoroughly enjoyed the back and forth, and also told Senator Hanson that

Senator Thorpe proposed making Medicare available in prisons across the country, giving First Nations people in custody “access to Aboriginal health checks and culturally safe health care.”

She said: “Years ago Labor made a policy commitment to Medicare in prisons. When are you going to realize this?’

In response, Senator Watt said the administration was doing everything it could to “rebuild Medicare after years of destruction,” noting that the system is currently “broken” and a primary focus on moving forward.

“These are important issues to ensure that all prisoners – and First Nations prisoners in particular, given the unacceptably high rates of both incarceration and deaths in custody – receive the medical treatment they deserve.”