Burqa stunt condemned as appalling
Lambie joins Hanson criticism
PAULINE Hanson’s “extreme” decision to wear a burqa in Parliament has been condemned as an “appalling stunt” by Senate colleagues, as Canberra again descended into farce yesterday.
The One Nation leader — a fierce opponent of Muslim immigration — faced widespread criticism for turning Question Time into a circus by wearing the Islamic garb as she called for it to be banned, linking it to terrorism.
The Queensland senator later defended her actions, saying it had “opened up debate” on the issue.
And she said most Australians supported her views.
But her actions drew instant fierce criticism from AttorneyGeneral George Brandis, who said the vast majority of the country’s 500,000 Muslims were “law-abiding, good Australians”, and the burqa would not be banned.
Senator Brandis said it was vital that security and lawenforcement agencies worked co-operatively with the Muslim community.
“To ridicule that community, to drive it into a corner, to mock its religious garments, is an appalling thing to do, and I would ask you to reflect on that,” he told Senator Hanson.
Labor, Greens and some crossbench senators reacted to Senator Brandis’s comments with a standing ovation.
Senator Hanson’s dramatic entrance to the chamber had drawn audible gasps from senators from all sides. Some later yelled “shame” and “you’re a disgrace”.
Senator Hanson later said assertions that she had been mocking the Islamic faith were “absolutely rubbish”.
“People have a right to their own faith and what they believe in — I’ve got no problems with that,” she said. Senator Hanson said she had had the idea of wearing the burqa in the Senate for “months”.
Independent senator Jacqui Lambie, who has also called for a ban on the burqa, criticised the stunt, saying Senator Hanson’s actions had “divided and distracted us, at a time when we need unity more than ever”.
In 2014, the Government was forced to back down on a decision to segregate Muslim women wearing facial coverings in the public galleries of Parliament House.