One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has made a direct appeal to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, demanding he overturn her unprecedented seven-day suspension from the Senate. The penalty was imposed after Hanson staged a protest in the chamber by wearing a burqa in late November 2025.
The Protest and Immediate Fallout
The controversial incident occurred after senators refused Hanson leave to introduce a bill aiming to ban full-face coverings in public spaces. In response, the senator entered the Senate wearing the Islamic garment, a move that drew swift condemnation from across the political spectrum.
When Hanson declined to remove the burqa or leave the chamber, parliamentary proceedings were halted for approximately 90 minutes. The following day, on 25 November 2025, Government Senate Leader Penny Wong moved a censure motion against Hanson, which passed successfully.
The motion carried the historic penalty of a seven consecutive sitting day suspension, a sanction Hanson claims has never before been enacted in the Australian Parliament. This ban will keep her out of the Senate until early 2026, coinciding with a planned recall of Parliament to address measures following the Bondi Beach terror attack.
Hanson's Accusations and Defence
In a letter to the Prime Minister, Hanson argued the suspension is politically motivated and designed to silence her. She framed her protest as an effort to raise awareness about "the unrestrained growth of radical Islam on Australian soil."
Hanson contends that her contribution to upcoming debates on national security and proposed hate-speech laws is critical, especially as the leader of One Nation for Queensland. She accused the government of using the planned parliamentary recall for a gun buy-back scheme and hate-speech reforms to deflect from what she calls the "real issue of radical Islam."
The senator further criticised the Labor Party and the Greens, alleging they have ignored One Nation's warnings about antisemitism while supporting pro-Palestine protests and the recognition of a Palestinian state controlled by Hamas, a listed terrorist organisation.
Broader Claims and Context
Beyond the immediate suspension, Hanson claimed the government is upholding a Senate decision to bar her from official overseas delegations. She asserted that foreign leaders prefer private discussions with her, citing a past meeting with former US President Donald Trump which she attended without a federal government invitation.
This is not Hanson's first burqa-related Senate protest; she performed a similar stunt in 2017 but did not receive a formal suspension at that time. As of now, it remains unclear whether Prime Minister Albanese has responded to Hanson's letter or if there are any plans to intervene in the Senate's decision.
With four sitting days of her ban remaining, the standoff highlights deep political divisions over national security, free speech, and the boundaries of parliamentary protest in Australia.
