Uproar in Australia as right-wing leader Pauline Hanson is branded racist for wearing a burqa to Senate as she tries to ban face coverings

The Australian Senate was thrown into chaos when the leader of the right-wing One Nation party entered the parliament wearing a burqa.

Pauline Hanson was trying to introduce a bill that would ban full-face coverings in Australia, a policy she has campaigned for decades.

Just minutes after other MPs blocked her from introducing the bill, she returned wearing a black burqa and a floral dress cut above the knee.

The 71-year-old’s exhibition was met with anger from his fellow senators, who branded him a ‘racist’.

However, Hanson refused to remove the burqa and the Senate was suspended.

He wears Muslim clothing for the second time in Parliament.

In 2017, she wore a burqa to the Senate, highlighting that the garment created security problems linked to terrorism.

Hanson also described Islam as ‘a culture and ideology incompatible with ours’.

Pauline Hanson was suspended from the Senate for wearing a burka in parliament

Hanson had tried to table a bill that would ban burqas and face coverings in Australia.

Hanson’s latest stunt was condemned by Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi over parliamentary privilege.

“This is blatant racism and he is a racist senator displaying Islamophobia, Mr. President, and someone should warn him about this,” Faruqi said.

‘You’re the one sitting in the chair, you have to pull it up.’

After the vote, Faruqi said the Senate’s decision to suspend Hanson was “the right decision.”

Fatima Payman, an independent senator who wears a headscarf, also expressed her anger.

‘He disrespects a belief, he disrespects Muslims there, Australian Muslims.

‘This is absolutely unconstitutional. This needs to be resolved immediately before we continue.’

Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong also agreed with the criticism and called for respect and civility in parliament.

‘I can tell you this… All of us here have the great privilege of coming into this room, and we represent people of all faiths, of all backgrounds, and we have to do it right,’ Wong said.

‘And what we shouldn’t do here is disrespect the room and the people of faith.’

Pauline Hanson (pictured) tried to table a motion calling for a ban on the burqa

Pauline Hanson (pictured) says she will continue efforts to ‘ban the burqa’

Pauline Hanson (pictured) was condemned by the Greens, Labor and Opposition for this demonstration

After heated debate, senators voted to suspend Hanson from the Senate and he was ordered to return when dressed in ‘proper’ attire.

Hanson was unable to speak or argue with his suggestion.

The Senate was suspended shortly after Hanson was ordered to leave the chamber.

Shortly after the incident, Hanson reiterated his stance on ‘banning the burqa’ on social media.

“Today, the Senate blocked the introduction of a bill that would ban burqas and other full-face veils in public places,” he said.

‘Despite the ban in 24 countries of the world (including Islamic countries), the hypocrites in our parliament rejected my bill.’

Hanson said she will continue wearing the burqa until it is banned.

‘So if parliament doesn’t ban this, I will expose this oppressive, radical, non-religious hijab and mistreatment of women that endangers our national security in our parliament, so every Australian will know what’s at stake.’

“If they don’t want me to wear it, ban the burqa,” Hanson said.

Speaking to reporters after his suspension, Greens leader Larissa Waters said Hanson’s behavior was ‘disgusting’.

“Senator Hanson’s demonstration today doesn’t make anyone’s rent cheaper, it doesn’t make anyone’s grocery bill cheaper, it doesn’t make anyone’s life financially better,” Waters said.

‘All this does is make people of color feel less safe in this country and that’s disgusting and it’s right that he should be removed.’

Hanson had previously made a similar demonstration in 2017, which drew a rebuke from then-Attorney General George Brandis, who condemned Hanson’s actions.

‘Making fun of someone’s religious attire is appalling. We are a tolerant society and we must respect people’s beliefs,’ Brandis said at the time.