• Source:JND
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A fresh wave of outrage erupted in the Australian Senate after Pauline Hanson, leader of the far-right One Nation party, entered the chamber wearing a black burqa in an attempt to revive her long-standing campaign to ban full-face coverings in the country. The stunt was carried out moments after she was blocked from introducing a private senator’s bill on the issue.

Hanson has spent decades advocating for a burqa ban, and this was the second time she has used the garment inside Parliament, a repeat of her 2017 performance that drew widespread condemnation. This time, she returned to the chamber wearing burqa within minutes of her proposal being rejected.

Senators React With Anger And Accusations of Racism

The Senate quickly descended into chaos as lawmakers rebuked Hanson for what they viewed as a disrespectful and inflammatory political stunt. Larissa Waters, the Australian Greens leader in the Senate, said the move was nothing short of “a middle finger to people of faith,” accusing Hanson of deliberately mocking Muslim Australians.

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Greens Senator MehreenFaruqi, a Muslim lawmaker from New South Wales, condemned the act as “blatant racism,” while independent Senator Fatima Payman, also Muslim, labelled the display “disgraceful.” Their reactions reflected widespread shock among senators, who saw Hanson’s behaviour as deeply offensive and inflammatory.

Government And Opposition Unite In Condemnation

Both the government and opposition strongly denounced Hanson’s actions. Penny Wong, leader of the centre-left Labor government in the Senate, declared the act “not worthy of a member of the Australian Senate” and moved a motion to suspend Hanson after she refused to remove the garment. Anne Ruston, Deputy Senate leader for the Opposition coalition, echoed the criticism. After Hanson continued to refuse to leave or remove the burqa, Senate proceedings were suspended, halting parliamentary business.

, Hanson held a fiery press conference defending her actions. She argued that the burqa poses “a national security issue,” comparing it to rules requiring helmets or face coverings to be removed when entering banks or businesses. “We have so many issues in the country with national security,” she insisted, vowing to continue her push despite the backlash.

 

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