Miss America winner and nuclear advocate Grace Stanke responds to heckling from Senator Lidia Thorpe

The former Miss America winner was heckled by Lidia Thorpe after the firebrand senator crashed a pro-nuclear press conference.

Former Miss America and nuclear engineer Grace Stanke has brushed off being heckled by firebrand senator Lidia Thorpe, labelling the disruption as a “rite of passage”.

Senator Thorpe yelled “We don’t want nuclear in this country” and claimed nuclear would “poison all of your children’s children” moments before a Parliament House press conference on Wednesday organised by Nuclear for Australia.

Ms Stanke, who is currently touring Australia as part of a speaking tour on nuclear energy, told 9News on Thursday she wasn’t phased by the clash.

“You know, it’s an adventure, I heard Lydia had yelled at the king, so I feel like this is sort of like a rite of passage,” she said.

Grace Stanke labelled the clash as a ‘rite of passage’. Picture: Nine/ Today

“But it really is exciting, because I think it also draws attention to the need for knowledge and a need for a civil conversation for nuclear in Australia.”

During King Charles and Queen Camilla’s royal tour of Australia in November, Senator Thorpe was removed for an official event after she accused the monarchs of genocide against Indigenous Australians.

Lidia Thorpe yelled the remarks right before the start of a press conference headed by pro-nuclear group Nuclear for Australia. Picture: NewsWire/ Martin Ollman

The press conference was fronted by former Miss America winner Grace Stanke, who is currently on a speaking tour across Australia. Picture: NewsWire/ Martin Ollman

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Ms Stanke, who won the Miss American 2023 beauty pageant and is employed by US nuclear energy giant Constellation Energy, urged the Australian government to work with the Australian people, industry and manufacturers, instead of trying to wedge opposition.

“The one thing that was the most shocking part of this tour so fair is how split it has been in terms of a political conversation, coming from America with nuclear energy is relatively bipartisan, and to I go so far as to say nonpartisan” she said.

Ms Stanke is headlining a series of events across Australia featuring nuclear energy experts. Picture: Supplied

Ms Stanke was crowned Miss America in 2023. (Photo by Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images for The American Heart Association)

“Because of that I think it’s so important to mention that here in Australia, this conversation is must be discussed, not only to help build and bridge bipartisan support, but to continue educating the Australian people so they can make informed decisions.”

She said had the nuclear debate began 10 to 20 years earlier, Australians would have a different “base level of knowledge”.

“I think it would have been easier from the context that people wouldn’t have been citing The Simpsons as a source,” she said.

Senator Thorpe made her opposition to the Coalition’s election nuclear pitch well known. Picture: NewsWire/ Martin Ollman

Nuclear for Australia founder Will Shackel also defended an event attended by himself and Ms Stanke last week which had been criticised for solely promoting the Coalition’s nuclear election bid.

The event, which was funded by electronics mogul Dick Smith, took place in the Victorian town of Morwell in the Latrobe Valley, where the Coalition are proposing to construct a reactor at the site of the Loy Yang power station.

“We had standing room only in Morwell … we had a really good reception in the room,” said Mr Shackel.

“We thought it was a really successful event, and … people showed a huge standard of support in that community.”

Originally published as Miss America winner and nuclear advocate Grace Stanke responds to heckling from Senator Lidia Thorpe