Senator Pauline Hanson has been suspended from the Australian Senate for the remainder of the sitting day after refusing to remove a burqa during a stunt that drew widespread condemnation across the political divide. The Senate president, Sue Lines, confirmed the suspension, stating that Hanson understood the chamber's message.
The incident, described by many as 'disgraceful', prompted Australia's special envoy to combat Islamophobia, Aftab Malik, to condemn the action. Malik expressed frustration, warning that the stunt would deepen safety risks for Muslim women who choose to wear the headscarf, hijab, or burqa, and would embolden harassment and abuse.
The Senate was suspended for over an hour before resuming normal business. Hanson's burqa stunt, which she had repeated previously, drew criticism from senators across party lines. The Greens and independent senator David Pocock also voiced concerns over other environmental and social issues during the day's session.
In unrelated news, a bushwalker was found dead in remote southern Tasmania, severe weather warnings were issued for parts of Queensland, and Indigenous legal services condemned a government social security bill that expands police powers to recommend cancellation of welfare payments.
