‘Personal humiliation’: Anger as Hanson’s cartoon mocks Lambie’s health condition

Jacqui Lambie has hit back at Pauline Hanson after the One Nation leader’s cartoon series mocked the independent senator’s health condition.

Lambie made an emotional speech in the Senate in August revealing she had a vaginal and bladder prolapse.

That speech was praised by colleagues across the board at the time, but has now become the punchline in One Nation’s satirical Please Explain cartoon series, accompanied by a crude sound effect ridiculing her condition.

Lambie was forced to take leave from parliament for five months following a surgery with the prolapses directly linked to the back injuries she suffered during her service in the army.

Responding to the video on Monday, the senator said that speaking openly about her experience was not an invitation to be mocked or degraded.

“By making this cartoon, One Nation didn’t just make light of my own medical struggles, but those of so many other women who have experienced reproductive health issues,” she said in a statement.

“I spoke about my own battle in parliament, not to get sympathy as One Nation may suggest, but to let other women know they are not alone.

“One in two women who have had a baby experience some level of pelvic organ prolapse. It is common and nobody should be embarrassed to talk about it.”

Vaginal prolapse is a common condition and impacts an estimated 407,265 people in Australia, according to a Birth Trauma Australia report from July.

It is often linked to physical strain or childbirth and can lead to uncomfortable symptoms like discomfort, pain and urinary tract infections.

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Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy also jumped to Lambie’s defence, saying no one should be mocked for their health conditions.

“When you add on top of that, the fact that Senator Lambie, who’s a fine public servant committed to serving the public, has been open and honest about her health challenges in a way to raise awareness and to signify these conditions,” he said.

“So, for her to be mocked by One Nation just shows, quite frankly, what they stand for.

“The people behind this should really have a hard look at themselves and should reflect on their values.”

Independent MP Monique Ryan said: “One Jacqui Lambie is worth 1000 Pauline Hansons.”

“She’s talked about an awkward subject to make it easier for other affected women. Pauline Hanson thinks that’s worth making fun of.”

Labor MP Kara Cook similarly backed Lambie, saying One Nation’s cartoon is “personal humiliation dressed up as political commentary”.

“Politics can be tough without being cruel. We can disagree without being disrespectful,” she said in a statement.

“Australians deserve better.”

In September, the Please Explain series repeatedly labelled Liberal MP Andrew Hastie a “traitor”.

A war of words erupted between the pair as Hastie demanded an apology and the episode be taken down from the “weak and glass jawed” Hanson but the One Nation leader refused to do so.

Hastie was once again featured in the latest episode that mocked Lambie, with him depicted saying: “I’m a veteran. I’m immune from criticism.”