The politician refused to remove the burqa and was suspended from Parliament.
A debate to ban full face coverings descended into chaos after a leader of a right-wing political party walked into the chamber wearing a burqa. Pauline Hanson, the leader of the Australian party One Nation, sought to introduce a bill that would ban full-face coverings nationwide, a policy she has long advocated for.
However, just moments after other Senators blocked her from introducing the bill, she returned to the Senate Chamber wearing a black burqa and a dress that was cut above the knee. Ms Hanson, 71, was branded a “racist” after appearing in the clothing; however, she refused to remove the burqa, causing the Senate to be suspended.
It is reportedly the second time the Senator has worn Islamic clothing in Parliament.
In 2017, she carried out a similar stunt, wearing a full Burqa, which she claimed to have done so she could highlight what she said were security issues the garment had, and tried to link it to terrorism.
Ms Hanson has previously said that Islam is a “culture and ideology that is incompatible with our own”.
Her intervention in the debate was condemned by another Senator, Mehreen Faruqi of the Green Party, who said: “This is a racist senator displaying blatant racism and Islamophobia, President, and someone should be pulling her up on that.”
Senator Faruqi praised the decision to suspend Ms Hanson, saying it was “the right decision” after the vote.
Another Senator, the Independent Fatima Payman, who wears a hijab herself, lashed out, accusing Ms Hanson of “disrespecting a faith”, saying “she is disrespecting the Muslims out there, Muslim Australians”.
She added: “It’s absolutely unconstitutional. This needs to be dealt with immediately before we proceed.”
She was suspended following the stunt. (Image: Facebook)
Foreign Minister Penny Wong also criticised Ms Hanson, saying: “I would say this to you…all of us in this place have a great privilege of coming into this chamber and we represent people of every faith, of all backgrounds, and we should do so decently.”
Following the debate, the Senators voted to suspend Ms Hanson for the remainder of the session, ordering her to return when she had changed into what the Senate called “appropriate” clothing.
Hanson was not allowed to speak, nor was she permitted to debate her motion, and the meeting was suspended shortly after she was ordered out of the chamber.
Ms Hanson took to social media soon after the incident saying: “Today, the Senate blocked the introduction of my Bill to ban the burqa and other full face coverings in public places.
“Despite the ban in 24 countries across the world (including Islamic countries), the hypocrites in our parliament have rejected my Bill.”
She confirmed that she would continue to wear the burqa herself, until it was banned, saying: “So if the parliament won’t ban it, I will display this oppressive, radical, non-religious head garb that risks our national security and the ill treatment of women on the floor of our parliament so that every Australian knows what’s at stake.”
She added: “If they don’t want me wearing it – ban the burqa.”
Speaking to reporters after the suspension, Greens leader Larissa Waters said Hanson’s behaviour was an “abomination”.
She reportedly said: “Senator Hanson’s stunt today doesn’t make anybody’s rent cheaper, doesn’t make anybody’s grocery bills cheaper, doesn’t make anybody’s life materially better,” adding “All it does is make people of colour feel less safe in this country and that is an abomination and it is right that she is suspended”.
