Simon Birmingham floats new ‘disorderly conduct’ penalties after Lidia Thorpe’s protest against the king

Liberal senator says world leaders may avoid visiting Australia unless measures brought in to stop senators protesting outside chamber

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The opposition Senate leader has flagged the possibility of new penalties for senators who engage in disorderly conduct" beyond the chamber itself, after independent senator Lidia Thorpe's shouted protest at a parliamentary reception for King Charles III and Queen Camilla.

Simon Birmingham suggests parliamentary censure is an insufficient response to deter future protests and that new measures could be required. A civil disobedience expert, however, has raised questions as to whether such further measures were necessary or appropriate".