Independent senator Lidia Thorpe has thrown documents at One Nation leader Pauline Hanson and left the Senate floor with her middle finger raised after a fiery racism row on Thursday.

It came as former Labor senator turned independent, Fatima Payman, said Hanson was “vindictive, mean, nasty” and brought “disgrace to the human race”.

Afghanistan-born Payman quit Labor earlier this year over its stance on Palestine. She has previously made representations to renounce her citizenship but cannot go further due to the Taliban’s takeover of the country.

The government supported her successful bid to become a Labor senator in the 2022 federal election, but in July she quit the party to sit in the upper house as an independent.

On Wednesday, Labor joined Hanson to allow documents to be tabled in the Senate questioning Payman’s eligibility to sit in the chamber because of her dual citizenship status.

As Labor senators took their places to back the motion, Thorpe could be heard shouting as she tore up the documents and threw them at Hanson.

Thorpe gave the middle finger over her shoulder as she left the chamber.

Hanson accused the Greens of forming a “protection racket” for Payman.

“This should be referred to a committee to be investigated if she is eligible to stand in this place,” she told the chamber.

“I will stand my ground on this issue.”

Payman said it was “absolutely outrageous” that Hanson was taking the action when there was a legislative agenda to get through.

“Senator Hanson has worn the burqa in this place. Maybe it’s time that she pack her burqa and go to Afghanistan and talk to the Taliban about this,” she said.

“All Senator Hanson does in this place is spread hatred, spread division because that’s what you’re made to do here and it’s outrageous. It’s beyond comprehension.

“I am very honoured that I live rent free in Senator Hanson’s mind.”

Payman accused Hanson of racism.

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

After Hanson demanded the remarks be withdrawn, Payman did so.

“How do you live with yourself, Senator Hanson, with so much bile and hatred?” she said.

In a letter to Senate President Sue Lines, Hanson said Payman’s disclosure of her citizenship status didn’t include supporting documents, such as correspondence with the Embassy Of Afghanistan or confirmation of the steps she took to renounce her Afghan citizenship.

-with AAP