Stunt triggers unprecedented rebuke
On 24 November 2025, Senator Pauline Hanson of the One Nation party entered the Australian Senate floor wearing a black burqa in protest of the chamber’s refusal to allow debate on her proposed ban on full‑face coverings in public. Her stunt forced the Senate to suspend proceedings for approximately 90 minutes and led to a strong backlash across party lines.
Censure and suspension
The next day, the Senate voted 55‑5 to censure Hanson, condemning her actions as “intended to vilify and mock people on the basis of their religion” and “disrespectful to Muslim Australians”. Subsequently, she was suspended from the chamber for seven sitting days, which will carry into the next parliamentary term beginning in February 2026. In addition, the Senate resolution declared that Hanson is barred from representing the Parliament on any overseas platform or delegation for the remainder of this term.
Hanson’s position and reaction
Hanson defended her actions, stating the burqa was a symbol in her campaign for a national ban on full‑face coverings. She argued the Senate was “hypocritical” for denying her the chance to table the bill yet refusing her right to wear the garment. Despite the suspension, Hanson remains defiant, saying she answers to Queensland voters rather than the Senate chamber.
Wider implications and multicultural backlash
The incident reignited debates around religious freedom, parliamentary decorum and anti‑Muslim sentiment in Australia. Senator Mehreen Faruqi (Greens) accused the Parliament of being steeped in racism after the stunt.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong labelled Hanson’s act as “mocking and vilifying an entire faith” and said the stunt threatened Australia’s social cohesion.
What’s next
- Hanson will miss seven sitting days of the Senate and those days will be taken at the start of the next term, effectively sidelining her from chamber business.
- Her proposed legislation to ban full‑face coverings is unlikely to be debated this year, given the timing and her suspension.
- The Senate and parliamentary authorities may review their protocols for dress code, stunts and member behaviour following this episode.
- The public and media will continue to monitor the political rise of One Nation and how incidents such as this affect community relations and trust.
