Welcome to federal parliament, where events more commonly found in a rough pub unfolded sensationally on Thursday after an ugly physical fight between a staffer and a senator.

Pauline Hanson's chief-of-staff James Ashby was banned from parliament after the altercation with United Australia Party senator Brian Burston.

Senate President Scott Ryan announced the staffer's pass had been revoked after reviewing footage of the clash between the two men outside a dinner at Parliament House on Wednesday night.

"I have exercised my authority to revoke Mr James Ashby of his pass to access the building and prohibit him from entering the building for the time being," Senator Ryan told parliament.

Mr Ashby released a statement calling for a probe into the incident, saying he respected the presiding officer's decision to ban him.

"There must be a full investigation of this matter, the allegations that preceded the altercation and a range of other issues regarding the alleged treatment of female staff that may be relevant to this matter," the staffer said.

Senator Burston admitted smearing blood on the door of Senator Hanson's office after the clash, which happened after a function at which the two men were seated on the same table.

"Whilst I do not recall the incident of blood on the door I now have come to the conclusion that it was myself and I apologise for the action," the One Nation defector told senators.

Senator Burston claims Mr Ashby approached him as he and his wife were leaving dinner, while Senator Hanson's right-hand man claims he was trying to film his boss leaving the event.

"I told him to f*** off," Senator Burston told News Corp.

"I lost it. I grabbed him and I pushed him up against the wall."

Senator Burston left One Nation last year to join Clive Palmer's United Australia Party, sparking a bitter feud with Senator Hanson.

Tensions have reached boiling point since she used parliamentary privilege on Tuesday to accuse an unnamed senator of sexually harassing at least six staff.

Senator Burston outed himself as the alleged culprit, telling News Corp it was "bull***", going on to claim he left One Nation after Senator Hanson sexually harassed him.

But she emphatically denied the claims, laughing them off in media interviews.

"I might be 64 ... but I tell you what, I'm not that desperate."

Australian Associated Press