Australian politician suspended over ‘Burka Drama’

An Australian politician was suspended for a week from parliament for doing a ‘burka stunt’ on Monday, November 24, 2025.

Senator Pauline Hanson was suspended after pushing for a ban on the ‘Muslim Garment.’

Fellow senators condemned her stunt, and she was later formally censured for performing it in Parliament.

A Queensland senator from the anti-immigration One Nation Party was seeking to introduce a bill to outlaw full-face coverings in public—a policy she has long campaigned for.

As reported by the BBC, it is the second time the Australian senator had worn the ‘black garment’—that covers her face and body—in Parliament as a protest against the senate bill.

She initiated the action of wearing a ‘black burka’ shortly after lawmakers blocked her from introducing the bill on Monday.

The act faced backlash and sparked immediate debate in parliament.

Moreover, Fatima Payman, an independent senator from the state of Western Australia, called the stunt “disgraceful.”

Another senator, Mehreen Faruqi, who was declared as a victim of racial discrimination by the Federal Court, said, “This is a racist senator, displaying blatant racism.”

Former Minister Penny Wong, serving as the government leader in the Senate on Tuesday, moved a motion to censure Hanson, claiming, “She has been parading prejudice as protest for decades.”

The motion states Senator “Pauline Hanson’s actions were intended to vilify and mock people on the basis of their religion and were disrespectful to Muslim Australians.”

The statement added, “Hanson was not worthy of a member of the Australian senate.”

While Hanson responded, “If they want me wearing it, then ban the burka.”

“Let me make it quite clear. I have the utmost respect for people of whatever faith they may be,” she added.

Later, after Senator Hanson failed to remove the garment, both Penny Wong, leader of Australia’s Labor government in the senate and Anne Ruston, deputy senate leader for the opposition coalition, condemned her actions.

By showing disappointment, they said, “Ms. Pauline Hanson is not worthy of being a member of the senate,” and she was suspended for a week later.

Additionally, Hanson also posted a Facebook photo of herself wearing the ankle-length black body covering, standing in her Parliament House office in front of a large painting of her own face.