Australia faces outrage after Senator demands burqa ban inside Parliament

 

 

A fresh controversy has erupted in Australia after Senator Pauline Hanson called for a ban on wearing the burqa inside Parliament, triggering strong criticism across the political spectrum.

 

 

 

 

 

Hanson entered the Senate wearing a black burqa and refused to remove it, forcing the proceedings to be paused. Lawmakers condemned her action, calling it an attempt to target Muslims and provoke division.

 

 

 

 

Her colleagues criticised her sharply, with one senator accusing her of “open racism.” Hanson, who represents Queensland and leads the anti-immigration One Nation party, has been campaigning for a public ban on the burqa for years. She re-introduced her proposal after the Senate refused to take up her bill.

 

 

 

 

 

When she was blocked from presenting the bill on Monday, she left the chamber and returned moments later wearing the burqa as a form of protest.

Senator Mehreen Faruqi of the Greens, who represents New South Wales, said Hanson’s move was “an openly racist stunt.”

Independent Senator Fatima Payman from Western Australia called it “shameful.”

 

 

 

 

Foreign Minister Penny Wong, the government’s leader in the Senate, described the act as “offensive” and moved a motion to suspend Hanson for refusing to remove the garment.

Wong said lawmakers represent Australians of all religions and backgrounds and should uphold that responsibility with respect.

 

 

 

In a Facebook post, Hanson responded defiantly, writing: “If they don’t want me to wear it, then ban the burqa.”

This is not the first time she has pulled such a stunt. In 2017, she also appeared in the Senate wearing a burqa to demand a nationwide ban. Hanson has a long history of controversial remarks, including a 2016 speech in which she claimed Australia was at risk of being “overrun by Muslims.” Earlier in 1996, she warned that Asian immigration would lead to demographic dominance in the country.

 

 

 

The incident has sparked a wider national debate, with Muslim community groups calling for stronger action against Islamophobia in politics. Several civil rights organisations have urged Parliament to establish clearer rules around cultural and religious attire to prevent “political theatrics” from undermining social harmony. Meanwhile, government ministers have signaled that they are not considering a burqa ban, reaffirming Australia’s commitment to religious freedom.