Fatima Payman says Pauline Hanson brings ‘disgrace to the human race’ as old eligibility row resurfaces

A fired-up Fatima Payman says Pauline Hanson brings “disgrace to the human race” as the One Nation leader continues to hound the Afghan-born senator over her eligibility to sit in Parliament.

Senator Hanson wants an investigation into whether Senator Payman falls foul of section 44 of the constitution, which prevents foreigners and dual-citizens from sitting in Parliament.

Senator Payman - who was eight when her family fled Kabul - addressed the issue before 2022 election, explaining that her attempts to renounce her Afghan citizenship could not be completed because the Afghanistan embassy in Australia had no contact with the new Taliban regime.

She received legal advice at the time confirming she took “all reasonable steps” to hand back her Afghan citizenship, meaning she was eligible.

But Senator Hanson continues to pester Senator Payman over her citizenship status, renewing her pursuit after the Labor outcast last month launched her new political party Australia’s Voice.

The One Nation leader on Wednesday morning won Senate approval to table a letter from Senate President Sue Lines regarding Senator Payman’s eligibility, which she wanted referred to a parliamentary committee for investigation.

The major parties allowed Senator Hanson to table the documents as a matter of procedure, not because they supported her pursuit of Senator Payman.

In her response to Senator Hanson’s letter, Senator Lines said she could not take the matter further because it did not meet the requirements for the Senate to consider questions about eligibility.

Before the letter was tabled, Senator Payman defended her eligibility while unleashing a blistering attack on Senator Hanson.

“You’re not just vindictive, mean, nasty – you bring disgrace to the human race,” she said.

“You have no dignity whatsoever as a Senator in this prestigious place, where we’re supposed to bring unity, where we’re supposed to have that freedom of expression, yes, but within boundaries of confinement of respect.”

Holding a copy of the legal advice that confirmed her eligibility, Senator Payman challenged Senator Hanson – who once wore a burqa as a stunt in the Senate – to “pack her burqa and go to Afghanistan and talk to the Taliban” about her case.

“Do you want to see it (the advice) for yourself?” Senator Payman said.

“You’re in absolute denial. All that Senator Hanson does in this place is spread hatred, spread division because that’s what you’re made to do here.”