Greens senator Lidia Thorpe apologises for ?disgusting? comment directed at Liberal Hollie Hughes

Greens senator Lidia Thorpe has unreservedly apologised to Liberal Hollie Hughes after she was accused of saying "at least I keep my legs shut" during Senate debate.

The apology and withdrawal of the comment on Wednesday evening capped a torrid final fortnight of parliament, in which Liberal senator David Van also apologised after he was accused of making animal noises at independent Jacqui Lambie.

Lambie on Thursday said parliament was "actually getting quite nasty" and urged the new Senate president, Slade Brockman, to "put his foot down" to improve standards.

The assistant attorney general, Amanda Stoker, and Liberal senator Ben Small reportedly told news.com.au they heard Thorpe interject "at least I keep my legs shut" on Wednesday.

Small told the Senate that Thorpe "just made the most outrageous statement directed at senator Hughes", something that "ranks at the top" of "disgusting statements made in this chamber".

Thorpe responded: "I'm happy to retract, Mr President. I just got a view of something over there that disturbed me. But I'm happy to retract."

Later on Wednesday evening, Thorpe told the Senate: "I just want to unreservedly take back the comments that I made earlier when interjecting, and I apologise to that senator, senator Hughes, wholeheartedly. That won't happen again. So I apologise to the senator and also the Senate."