Burqa stunt could lead to dress code
Pauline Hanson’s “ban the burqa” stunt could lead to a new dress code for the Australian Senate and a “time out” for MPs who breach the house rules.
Senate president Stephen Parry yesterday wrote to the Senate Standing Committee on Procedures asking it review the Upper House’s dress code after the One Nation leader’s controversial decision to wear the Islamic garb to Senate question time last month.
Parry also asked for the committee to consider introducing new powers for the Senate president and deputy president to suspend any member from the chamber for an hour if they breach standing orders.
“From a personal perspective, I am disappointed that Senate will be asked to consider implementing rules rather than rely upon the personal discretion and good judgment of all senators,” he told senators in the Upper House yesterday.
In a direct rebuke to the One Nation leader, Parry called on all senators to keep the “respect and dignity of the senate” at the forefront of their minds until the committee made its recommendations.
There is no dress code currently but senators can infringe standing orders through disorderly conduct, persistently obstructing the business of the Senate, using “objectionable” words, persistently disregarding the chair or failing to abide by standing orders.
The Senate president can call on senators to apologise, report the infringement to the senate or ask the senate to decide on what action to take against them.
Hanson has defended her decision to wear the burqa as a way to highlight the security risk to official buildings in Australia of identity concealing clothing.
Attorney-General George Brandis strongly criticised the move at the time.