The Australian Senate descended into unprecedented chaos on Monday, November 24, when right-wing politician Pauline Hanson made a dramatic entrance wearing a full burqa while advocating to ban face coverings nationwide.
Political Theater Turns Chaotic
Pauline Hanson, the 71-year-old leader of the One Nation party, staged her controversial protest just minutes after fellow lawmakers blocked her from introducing legislation that would prohibit full-face coverings in Australia. The veteran politician, who has campaigned against face coverings for decades, returned to the chamber wearing a black burqa paired with a floral dress that ended above her knees.
The shocking display immediately triggered outrage among senators across the political spectrum. Multiple colleagues branded Hanson's actions as racist and Islamophobic, demanding she remove the religious garment. Despite the mounting pressure and vocal condemnation, Hanson defiantly refused to comply, ultimately forcing the suspension of the Senate session.
History Repeats in Parliament
This marked the second time Hanson has used the Muslim garment as a political prop within parliament. In 2017, she similarly wore a full burqa in the Senate, claiming it highlighted security concerns and potential terrorism risks. Hanson has consistently described Islam as a culture and ideology that is incompatible with our own, making her opposition to religious face coverings a cornerstone of her political platform.
The latest stunt drew immediate condemnation from Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi, who used parliamentary privilege to address the incident directly. This is a racist senator displaying blatant racism and Islamophobia, President, and someone should be pulling her up on that, Faruqi declared, challenging the presiding officer to take action.
Widespread Condemnation and Calls for Decency
Independent senator Fatima Payman, who wears a hijab herself, expressed deep anger at Hanson's actions. She is disrespecting a faith, she is disrespecting the Muslims out there, Muslim Australians, Payman stated, calling the display absolutely unconstitutional and demanding immediate intervention.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong joined the chorus of criticism, emphasizing the need for respect and decency within the parliamentary chamber. 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, Wong asserted, adding that lawmakers should avoid disrespecting both the chamber and people of various faiths.
The incident has reignited Australia's ongoing debate about religious freedom, security concerns, and the boundaries of political expression, with Hanson's controversial methods continuing to polarize public opinion and parliamentary proceedings.
