Greens leader Adam Bandt has welcomed an investigation into a tweet from Pauline Hanson he says was racist towards one of his senators.

Senator Mehreen Faruqi referred a tweet from the One Nation leader telling her to go back to her native country of Pakistan to the Australian Human Rights Commission.

The dispute between the two senators kicked off after Senator Hanson replied to Senator Faruqi’s post on the social media platform criticising the monarchy in the wake of the Queen’s death.

The Greens have branded the comments as “racist” and “appalling”, with Senator Faruqi claiming she felt insulted and humiliated.

Senator Faruqi confirmed the investigation, writing on Facebook on Friday: “I’m glad the Human Rights Commission has accepted my complaint. Racism must be held to account”.

Mr Bandt said there is no place for racism in society or politics.

“What Pauline Hanson said was despicable,” he told the ABC on Friday.

“Members of parliament … should have the ability to contribute in the public debate without attacks of racism, and to be told to go back to where they come from.”

“When people use the bull pit of parliament to make racist attacks on people, it should be condemned.”

The Greens attempted to censure Senator Hanson in the chamber last month but the motion was amended by the government and opposition to instead condemn all forms of racism.

Senator Hanson has defended her comments and denied she is racist.

She said her comments were a critique of the Greens senator tweeting: “I cannot mourn the leader of a racist empire built on stolen lives, land and wealth of colonised peoples”.

“Criticism is not racism,” Senator Hanson told the Senate on September 27.

“(The Greens) see themselves as the epitome of virtue who can say or do nothing wrong. Their sense of entitlement and privilege is stunning.”

Senator Hanson’s reply to the tweet read: “Your attitude appals and disgusts me. When you immigrated to Australia you took every advantage of this country.

“You took citizenship, bought multiple homes, and a job in a parliament. It’s clear you’re not happy, so pack your bags and piss off back to Pakistan.”

– AAP