Pauline Hanson Sparks Outrage with Burqa Stunt in Senate Amid Ongoing Campaign to Ban Muslim Garment

Pauline Hanson Sparks Outrage in Parliament with Burqa Stunt Amid Ongoing Ban Campaign

Published On 24 Nov 2025

In a provocative display that has ignited a firestorm of controversy, far-right Australian lawmaker Pauline Hanson donned a burqa in the Senate on Monday, drawing immediate accusations of racism and Islamophobia. The leader of the anti-immigration One Nation party aimed to spotlight her long-standing campaign to ban the traditional Muslim garment from public life.

Hanson’s stunt came after her attempt to table a Senate bill prohibiting the burqa and other face coverings was thwarted. As she entered the chamber cloaked in the garment, the atmosphere quickly turned tense, leading to a suspension of proceedings when she refused to remove it.

“This is a racist senator displaying blatant racism and Islamophobia,” declared Australian Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi, the first Muslim elected to Australia’s upper chamber. Independent Senator Fatima Payman echoed these sentiments, labeling the act “disgraceful” and a direct affront to Muslim Australians.

Penny Wong, leader of the centre-left Labour government in the Senate, condemned Hanson’s actions as “not worthy of a member of the Australian Senate” and moved to suspend her from the chamber.

Hanson’s use of the burqa as a political prop is not new; she previously wore it in 2017 as part of her ongoing campaign against the garment. The senator, who first gained prominence in the 1990s for her staunch opposition to immigration from Asia and asylum seekers, has seen her party’s influence grow, doubling its representation in the Senate following the May general election.

In a Facebook statement following the incident, Hanson defended her actions, claiming she wore the “oppressive” garment to draw attention to the mistreatment of women and to raise concerns about national security. “This is about protecting our values and our way of life,” she asserted.

Critics, however, argue that her actions are a blatant attempt to stoke division and fear in a country that has been grappling with issues of race and identity. As the debate rages on, many are left questioning the implications of such provocations in the political arena and their impact on Australia’s multicultural fabric.

As the fallout continues, the incident serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing tensions surrounding immigration and cultural identity in Australia, with Hanson at the forefront of a divisive narrative that shows no signs of abating.