Jacqui Lambie calls Pauline Hanson a "bloody coward" over Andrew Hastie traitor cartoon

Key facts

• Jacqui Lambie called Pauline Hanson a "bloody coward" over a One Nation cartoon.
• The cartoon depicted Liberal frontbencher Andrew Hastie as a traitor for testifying against Ben Roberts-Smith.
• The animated video has over 145,000 views on YouTube.
• Hanson denies calling Hastie a traitor, stating she would call him a "wanker" instead.
• Senior Liberals and Greens senator David Shoebridge condemned the cartoon.

Senator Jacqui Lambie has accused One Nation leader Pauline Hanson of being a “bloody coward” for a social media cartoon that depicted Liberal frontbencher Andrew Hastie as a traitor. The animated video, which has garnered over 145,000 YouTube views, links Hastie's testimony against Victoria Cross recipient Ben Roberts-Smith in his failed defamation case to supporting "evil hate speech legislation."

Lambie, a veteran herself, stated on Thursday that the cartoon was "disgusting" and "full of bloody violence," and that attacking Hastie, an Afghanistan war veteran, was "the lowest ebb you can possibly do."

Hastie, an SAS veteran, has challenged Hanson and Nationals defector Barnaby Joyce to take responsibility for the video. He told ABC radio that Hanson's actions showed she was "weak and glass-jawed" and "not fit to govern this country," adding that he would not pursue legal action due to Gina Rinehart's financial backing of One Nation, but would "impose costs politically."

Hanson has denied calling Hastie a traitor, telling The Nightly newspaper that she would call him a "wanker" instead. Joyce also denied calling Hastie a traitor, stating he had not seen the cartoon and had spoken in support of Hastie and his family.

Opposition leader Angus Taylor called for the cartoon to be taken down, stating it was wrong for it to remain online. Greens senator David Shoebridge also blasted Hanson, calling the attack "disgraceful" for targeting someone who gave evidence in court under oath. Shadow defence minister James Paterson stated that Hanson and her strategist James Ashby "should be ashamed of themselves" for accusing a military veteran of being a traitor.