Australia’s Senate suspended far-right lawmaker Pauline Hanson for seven sitting days after she entered the chamber wearing a burqa as part of her long-running campaign to outlaw the garment, prompting strong criticism from government and opposition lawmakers.
The suspension followed a tense session on Monday, when Hanson arrived in the upper house dressed in the full covering shortly after being refused permission to introduce a bill targeting burqas and other face coverings in public spaces. Her action immediately drew rebukes from Muslim lawmakers and senior members of the government.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong, who leads the government in the Senate, said the stunt crossed a clear line. Wong told the chamber Hanson’s display amounted to “hateful and shallow pageantry” and warned it “tears at our social fabric” and has “cruel consequences for many of our most vulnerable.”
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She added that Hanson had “mocked and vilified an entire faith … a faith observed by nearly a million Australians,” calling the moment one of the most disrespectful acts she had ever seen in Parliament.
A censure motion condemning Hanson passed 55 to 5 before the chamber imposed the seven-day suspension.
Hanson, leader of the One Nation party, has spent years pushing for restrictions on Islamic clothing and has previously appeared in Parliament wearing a burqa. Monday’s action repeated a 2017 incident that also triggered widespread criticism.
Speaking to reporters after the suspension, Hanson defended her decision and insisted she had breached no rules. “If you can wear a helmet into the bank or any other venues where they tell you to take it off, why is the burqa any different?” she said. “I’ll stand my ground … it will be the people that will judge me.”
Her party, known for its nationalist and anti-immigration stance, expanded its Senate bloc to four seats after gains in the May general election. Recent polling has shown further growth in its support.
Hanson first rose to prominence in the 1990s with fierce opposition to immigration from Asia and the arrival of asylum seekers. Her rhetoric helped define One Nation’s brand, which routinely focuses on identity, migration and cultural issues.
The latest controversy adds renewed pressure on Australia’s Parliament during a period of increased debate over religious expression and public safety measures. Lawmakers from both major parties say further discussion will follow once Hanson’s suspension concludes.
