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27m ago

Australian Senate Suspends Session After Pauline Hanson Wears Burqa in Protest

She was barred for the day following a failed bid to introduce a national ban on full-face coverings.

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 One Nation leader entered the chamber in a burqa minutes after being denied leave to table her bill to ban burqas and other full-face coverings in public.
  • Senate President Sue Lines ordered Hanson to remove the garment or leave; her refusal led to an uncommon suspension of proceedings for about 90 minutes and her exclusion for the rest of the day.
  • Leaders across parties, including Penny Wong and Anne Ruston, condemned the act, while Muslim senators Mehreen Faruqi and Fatima Payman called it racist and disrespectful.
  • Australia’s Islamophobia envoy Aftab Malik and the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils warned the stunt could heighten risks for Muslim women and urged stronger parliamentary safeguards.
  • Hanson posted a defiant message reiterating her push for a national ban and citing overseas restrictions, in a repeat of a similar 2017 parliamentary stunt.