Australian Senator Faces Suspension Over Burka Protest in Parliament

An Australian senator has been suspended for a week after donning a burka in parliament as part of her campaign to ban the Muslim garment. Pauline Hanson, a member of the anti-immigration One Nation party, faced immediate condemnation from her fellow lawmakers following the incident on Monday.

The senator from Queensland attempted to introduce a bill aimed at prohibiting full face coverings in public, a policy she has consistently supported. However, after her proposal was rejected by other senators, she re-entered the chamber wearing a black burka, prompting significant outrage among her colleagues.

Senator Mehreen Faruqi, a member of the Australian Greens and a Muslim, accused Hanson of exhibiting "blatant racism". Faruqi, who has previously been the subject of racial discrimination by Hanson in a court case, condemned the stunt as an affront to the Muslim community.

Independent Senator Fatima Payman from Western Australia labelled Hanson's actions as "disgraceful". The incident drew further criticism from Penny Wong, the Foreign Minister and leader of the government in the Senate, who introduced a motion to censure Hanson. Wong stated that Hanson has been "parading prejudice as protest for decades".

The motion to censure passed with a substantial margin of 55 votes to five, highlighting the bipartisan disapproval of Hanson's actions. The motion accused her of attempting to vilify and mock individuals based on their religion, asserting that her behaviour was disrespectful to Muslim Australians.

In a Facebook post following the incident, Hanson defended her decision, stating: "If they don't want me wearing it - ban the burka." This was not her first use of the garment in parliament; she had previously worn a burka in 2017 while advocating for a similar ban.

Hanson's political career has been marked by her controversial views on immigration, particularly regarding Muslims and asylum seekers. In 2016, she sparked outrage with her maiden speech to the Senate, where she suggested Australia was at risk of being "swamped by Muslims," echoing sentiments from her initial speech in the House of Representatives in 1996, which warned against being "swamped by Asians".

Hanson's party, One Nation, holds four Senate seats, having gained two following the recent general elections amid a rise in support for far-right anti-immigration policies. Her actions have reignited debates about freedom of expression, religious tolerance, and racism in Australian politics.