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2h ago

Australian Senate Censures Pauline Hanson, Suspends Her for Seven Sitting Days After Burqa Stunt

The penalty follows her decision to enter the chamber in a burqa after her bid to introduce a nationwide face-covering ban was blocked.

In a statement later posted by Hanson on Facebook, she said her actions were in protest of the bill, calling the garment a “garb that risks national security and the ill-treatment of women.”
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Overview

  • The censure and suspension passed 55–5 on Tuesday after Monday’s session was halted when Hanson refused to remove the garment.
  • Senate president Sue Lines ordered Hanson to leave the chamber, and Labor’s Penny Wong moved the disciplinary motion, with Coalition leader Anne Ruston also condemning the conduct.
  • Muslim senators Mehreen Faruqi and Fatima Payman denounced the display as racist and disrespectful, and the chamber reconvened without Hanson after an adjournment of roughly 1.5 hours.
  • Australia’s Islamophobia envoy Aftab Malik and community groups warned the stunt heightens harassment and safety risks for Muslim women.
  • Hanson defended the action on social media, citing security and women’s rights and noting overseas restrictions, as One Nation’s expanded Senate presence keeps the issue in her party’s spotlight.