Jacqui Lambie Clashes With Pauline Hanson Over One Nation Cartoon Calling Andrew Hastie a ‘Traitor’
Independent Senator Jacqui Lambie has launched a blistering attack on Pauline Hanson after a One Nation satirical video repeatedly branded Liberal frontbencher and former SAS officer Andrew Hastie a “traitor”.
A fierce political storm has erupted in Canberra after independent Tasmanian Senator Jacqui Lambie publicly accused One Nation leader Pauline Hanson of cowardice over an animated online video that repeatedly labeled Liberal frontbencher Andrew Hastie a “traitor”.
The video, published across One Nation’s digital channels, targeted Hastie following his court-ordered testimony in former soldier Ben Roberts-Smith’s high-profile defamation proceedings.
Lambie, an Australian Army veteran, did not hold back her fury, warning the veteran community to rethink their support for One Nation while demanding the video be taken down immediately.
The confrontation has quickly united figures across party lines—from Coalition leadership to the crossbench and defense organizations—placing One Nation under intense scrutiny at a time when the populist party is actively trying to expand its national footprint.
Inside the Cartoon Controversy
The row centers on an episode of One Nation’s animated series, titled Don’t Be Hastie, which was published to social media and pinned to party profiles.
In the animation, Hastie—who served two combat tours in Afghanistan as an SAS captain—is depicted complaining to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese that critics online are calling him a traitor.
The cartoon character references Hastie testifying under subpoena during Roberts-Smith’s unsuccessful defamation trial against Nine newspapers in the Federal Court.
During that landmark case, Hastie was one of more than twenty SAS combat veterans compelled by law to give evidence regarding alleged battlefield conduct.
The video uses the word “traitor” multiple times in reference to Hastie’s court testimony. That characterization triggered an immediate reaction in Parliament House, with Hastie demanding Hanson publicly own the accusation or delete the post.
Lambie Unleashes: ‘A Bloody Coward’
Senator Lambie, known throughout her political career for fiercely defending current and former service personnel, escalated the backlash with a series of fiery media appearances.
“Attacking Andrew Hastie, a veteran that has served in our Afghanistan war, or any other veteran, is the lowest ebb you can possibly do,” Lambie said in an interview with ABC Radio.
She branded Hanson an “angry little woman” and a “bloody coward” who “wouldn’t last one day in that goddamn uniform”.
Lambie told reporters that Australians were now witnessing Hanson’s “true colours,” arguing that the animation crossed the line from political satire into personal defamation against someone who served under fire.
She directly addressed the defense community:
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Lambie urged veterans and their families to “think twice” before voting for One Nation at upcoming polls.
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She warned that backing figures who mock sworn service personnel damages public respect for the Australian Defence Force (ADF).
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She argued that honoring subpoenas in a court of law is a civic and legal duty, not an act of treachery.
RSL and Cross-Party Condemnation Mounts
The dispute has rapidly broadened into a national debate about where political mockery ends and the disparagement of military service begins.
Returned & Services League (RSL) Australia took the rare step of publicly condemning the animation, declaring that labeling a veteran a “traitor” carries dangerous implications for all former service personnel.
“Branding a former soldier a ‘traitor’ sends a corrosive message to the wider veteran community: that your service can be recast as betrayal the moment it’s politically convenient,” the organization stated.
Condemnation swept across the political divide in Canberra:
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Andrew Hastie: The Liberal MP described Hanson as “weak and glass-jawed,” saying the attack was a slur on every veteran who testified under oath to maintain ethical conduct in the armed forces.
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Opposition Leader Angus Taylor: Taylor publicly called for the post’s immediate removal, emphasizing that Hastie had served the nation with distinction as a commissioned officer.
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Defence Minister Richard Marles: Marles condemned the video as “utterly tasteless,” stating that no political party should use that terminology against those who have worn the nation’s uniform.
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The Greens: Crossbench senators, including David Shoebridge, crossed ideological lines to back Hastie, describing attacks on veterans who tell the truth in judicial proceedings as disgraceful.
Hastie confirmed he would not pursue private defamation action against Hanson, pointing out that One Nation is backed by billionaire mining magnate Gina Rinehart, making any legal battle an asymmetric financial contest.
One Nation Defiant as Cracks Emerge
Despite the widespread bipartisan pushback, Pauline Hanson has refused to take down the animation or apologize.
Hanson insisted that she had never personally called Hastie a traitor to his country, framing the production as harmless satire and accusing her political opponents of making a “mountain out of a molehill”.
On social media, Hanson dismissed the uproar, posting an image of Lambie with the caption advising critics to “take a chill pill”.
However, the controversy has revealed rare public cracks within One Nation’s parliamentary ranks.
Former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce—who joined One Nation—distanced himself from the production, stating he was unaware of the video beforehand and reaching out to Hastie to offer an explanation and apology. Hastie publicly confirmed he accepted Joyce’s clarification while maintaining his view of Hanson’s conduct.
A Defining Test for Hanson’s Growing Ambitions
The timing of the firestorm is particularly delicate for One Nation.
The party has enjoyed steady momentum in recent regional contests and state by-elections, positioning itself as a primary champion of traditional Australian values, conservative patriotism, and the military community.
By entering a direct confrontation with prominent ADF veterans like Hastie and Lambie, One Nation risks alienating the very demographic that has historically formed the bedrock of its populist movement.
For decades, political satire has enjoyed broad protections in Australian public life. Yet the backlash to One Nation’s cartoon suggests there are firm boundaries when satirical broadsides collide with sworn military service and judicial integrity.
Jacqui Lambie has made it abundantly clear that she will not let the issue fade quietly. As Parliament prepares for its next sitting week, the pressure on Pauline Hanson to answer for her party’s video is only set to escalate.
Where should the line be drawn between biting political satire and unacceptable attacks on military veterans who fulfill their legal duties in court?
