Independent Senator Lidia Thorpe has doubled down on allegations of sexual assault in the Federal Senate this afternoon.

3AW political editor Michael Pachi told 3AW Afternoons the senator alleged Liberal senator David Van assaulted her in Parliament.

“Lidia Thorpe first made these allegations in Parliament, so she’s used parliamentary privilege to suggest she’d been sexually assaulted and harassed by a senator,” he said.

Press PLAY to hear the allegations made

Federal opposition leader Peter Dutton has stated Senator Van will no longer sit in the Liberal party room.

Senator Van has denied the allegations and told Parliament there should be an investigation held.

“There should be and must be an investigation into these outrageous claims so that they can be proved to be false,” he said.

Press PLAY to hear Peter Dutton and David Van respond to allegations made against Senator Van

Image: Getty Images – Martin Ollman.