Australia senator wears burqa in Parliament stunt

• Australian far-right Senator Pauline Hanson wore a burqa in the Senate chamber as a provocative protest after she was denied permission to introduce a bill banning full-face coverings.
• The stunt, which forced the suspension of parliamentary proceedings, drew widespread condemnation from senators who labeled the action blatant racism and Islamophobia.

Australian far-right Senator Pauline Hanson ignited widespread condemnation today after donning a burqa in the Australian Senate chamber, a provocative act she described as a protest against the garment's alleged risks to national security and women's rights.

The stunt, which echoed a similar incident in 2017, followed the Senate's refusal to allow her to introduce a bill banning burqas and other full-face coverings in public spaces.

The incident unfolded during the final sitting week of the year in Canberra. Hanson, leader of the One Nation party, first attempted to table a motion for the ban but was denied permission.

Moments later, during a Senate vote, she re-entered the chamber wearing a black burqa, with her legs visible beneath it, prompting immediate protests from fellow senators.

Senate President Sue Lines ordered Hanson to remove the garment or leave, citing a prior ruling that using religious attire as a prop disrespects Parliament.

When Hanson refused, Labor Senate leader Penny Wong moved to suspend her, leading to the chamber's suspension for over 1.5 hours.

Proceedings resumed later without Hanson, who was barred from the chamber for the remainder of the day.

Muslim Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi branded the display as "blatant racism" from a "racist senator," accusing Hanson of Islamophobia and calling for her to be held accountable.

Independent Senator Fatima Payman, the first hijab-wearing woman in federal Parliament, called it "abhorrent," "disgraceful," and "disrespectful to the faith" of Muslim Australians, suggesting it was a bid for relevance in the year's final sessions.

Multiculturalism Minister Anne Aly, herself a Muslim, condemned the stunt as "unacceptable" and "unworthy" of public office, emphasizing women's right to choose their attire.

"Whether it's a bikini or a burka, women have a choice," Aly stated.

Greens leader Larissa Waters described it as "extremely racist and unsafe," saying it mocked people of faith.

Even conservative voices joined: Opposition deputy Senate leader Anne Ruston condemned the actions, while Nationals MP Matt Canavan called it "inappropriate" and "attention-seeking," saying it cheapened Parliament and disgusted most Australians.

In a Facebook post following the event, Hanson claimed that the burqa is an "oppressive, radical, non-religious head garb that risks our national security and the ill-treatment of women”.

"If they don't want me wearing it – ban the burqa," she wrote.

This is not Hanson's first such controversy. In 2017, she performed a nearly identical stunt in the Senate while pushing for a national burqa ban, drawing similar rebukes.

Hanson, a Queensland senator who rose to prominence in the 1990s with her opposition to Asian immigration and asylum seekers, has long targeted Islamic practices in her political career.

Her One Nation party, which advocates anti-immigration policies, now holds four Senate seats after gains in recent elections.

Australia has a growing Muslim population of over 800,000.