Australian far-right politician Pauline Hanson has caused a major controversy in the country’s parliament. The One Nation party leader wore a black burqa during a Senate session on Monday, sparking immediate outrage.
Hanson was attempting to introduce a bill to ban full-face coverings in Australia. After other lawmakers blocked the bill, she returned to the chamber wearing the garment.
The political stunt drew fierce criticism from fellow senators. Australian Greens leader Larissa Waters labelled the move “extremely racist and unsafe.”
Foreign Minister Penny Wong also condemned the act. She described it as “disrespectful” to people of all faiths represented in the chamber.
Australian far-right senator Pauline Hanson sparked outrage after she wore a burqa to parliament, the second time she has used the head garment, worn by some Muslim women, as a political prop to push for a national ban during her career https://t.co/On1jmYzGQ0 pic.twitter.com/jFZYkrHvZa
— Reuters (@Reuters) November 24, 2025Hanson refused requests to remove the burqa. The resulting disruption forced a temporary suspension of the Senate session. This is not the first time Hanson has used this method. In 2017, she wore a burqa in parliament to highlight alleged security concerns.
She has a long history of campaigning against Islamic dress. Hanson has previously described Islam as an ideology incompatible with Australian values. Her party’s support has risen to a record 18 per cent. This increase comes as the main conservative opposition party struggles with internal conflicts.
🚨 TRIGGERED: Senate suspended after Pauline Hanson dons Burqa
The One Nation leader’s latest protest in Parliament caused immediate outrage and renewed debate over religious garments. https://t.co/Lcizol8Jxu
— Rebel News Australia (@RebelNews_AU) November 24, 2025The incident coincides with a government report on rising Islamophobia. A recent envoy stated that Australia has failed to tackle persistent and intensifying anti-Muslim sentiment.
