Senate Erupts as Hanson Wears Burqa, Sparks Outrage and Suspension
A heated exchange in the Australian Senate led to the suspension of One nation Senator Pauline Hanson after she entered the chamber wearing a burqa. The move, intended as a demonstration against the garment, was widely condemned as racist and disrespectful.
The incident began during a voting session. Acting Senate President Slade Brockman allowed the vote to proceed despite objections from several senators regarding Hanson’s attire. Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi, a Muslim, directly accused Hanson of racism and Islamophobia, stating, “Dress code might be the choice of the senators but racism should not be the choice of the Senate.” Senator Fatima Payman, also Muslim, called the situation “disgraceful” and “unconstitutional,” arguing Hanson was disrespecting the Muslim faith.
Other senators, including Greens leader Larissa Waters and Lidia Thorpe, called for Hanson to be removed or for the Senate to be suspended, urging a reconsideration of Brockman’s initial ruling that dress was a matter of individual conscience. Waters argued Hanson’s actions were “extremely racist and unsafe” and a “middle finger to people of faith.”
Senate President Sue Lines afterward arrived and ordered Hanson to leave the chamber, citing a previous ruling prohibiting the use of religious dress as a prop, deeming it disrespectful to parliament. Hanson refused to comply, both refusing to remove the burqa and leave the chamber.
A motion by Labor Senator Penny Wong to suspend Hanson from the Senate was then passed by a majority vote. One Nation senators challenged the ruling and demanded a division, prolonging the disruption. Ultimately, the Senate was suspended following a second motion by Wong.
Following her ejection, hanson stated she had been prevented from introducing a bill to ban the burqa in Australia, framing the incident as a suppression of public debate. She argued a ban was a matter of national security and women’s rights, claiming many women are forced to wear the garment.
Outside the chamber, conservative Senator Matt Canavan described Hanson’s actions as “inappropriate” and “disrespectful” to Muslim Australians. He stated he left the chamber during the event, characterizing it as “attention-seeking” and arguing it undermined her arguments and cheapened the Parliament. He affirmed the ability to discuss immigration and integration without resorting to such tactics.
The incident has ignited debate surrounding religious expression, cultural sensitivity, and appropriate conduct within the Australian Parliament.
