An Australian senator has been suspended from parliament after wearing a burqa in the chamber to protest against a proposed ban on the garment in the country. Senator Pauline Hanson, a member of the anti-immigration One Nation party, faced backlash for her actions, which involved wearing the full body covering inside the parliamentary session.
Hanson’s protest centered on opposing the refusal to allow her to introduce a bill that would ban burqas and other face coverings in public. She refused to remove the burqa upon entering the chamber, leading to her suspension for the remainder of the day. The incident drew criticism from some of her fellow senators, who described it as a “middle finger to people of faith.”
The Senate voted 55 to five on a motion condemning Hanson’s actions, stating they were “intended to vilify and mock people on the basis of their religion” and called them “disrespectful to Muslim Australians.” Following the motion, Hanson was barred for seven consecutive Senate sitting days, with her suspension continuing when parliament reconvenes in February next year after its holiday break.
Hanson rejected accusations that her protest had vilified or mocked Muslims, stating, “At the end of the day this is Australia. It is not the Australian cultural way of life.” She emphasized her desire for equality for all Australians and opposition to what she described as the “suppression or oppression of women in this country.”
This was not the first time Hanson had worn a burqa to Parliament; she previously did so in 2017, citing security concerns linked to terrorism. However, this week marked the first time she faced punishment for the act.