Who is Pauline Hanson? Australian Senator wears burqa in Parliament, sparks uproar — A look at her personal life, career

Pauline Hanson, the 71-year-old far-right Australian Senator, faced condemnation from lawmakers for wearing a burqa in her campaign to ban the Muslim garment in public and was suspended for seven sitting days.

On Monday, Hanson was shrouded in a head-to-ankle black garment as the Senate refused to consider her bill seeking a ban on the burqa in public places.

In the absence of an apology, the Senators passed a censure motion barring her from seven consecutive Senate sitting days. It is said to be one of the harshest penalties against a senator in recent decades. Her suspension will continue when Parliament resumes in February next year.

In 2017, too, the Senator created outrage after wearing a burqa in a similar protest. However, she was not punished at that time.

Pauline Hanson reacts

Speaking to reporters, Hanson said she would be judged by voters in the next election, scheduled for 2028.

“They didn’t want to ban the burqa, yet they denied me the right to wear it on the floor of Parliament. There is no dress code on the floor of Parliament, yet I’m not allowed to wear it. So to me, it’s been hypocritical,” she said.

“Liberals, Nationals, Labour and the Greens are all fighting One Nation because we are the only party debating the issues they won't talk about. One Nation was stopped from even introducing a Bill, meaning the Parliament couldn't have a debate. That's not democracy. The people will judge me when I face the next election. My future is in the people's hands, not these gutless politicians,” Hanson said in a post on X.

Senators hit out at Pauline

Malaysian-born Penny Wong, who leads the government in the Senate, said that Hanson had mocked and vilified an entire faith by wearing a burqa.

“Sen. Hanson’s hateful and shallow pageantry tears at our social fabric, and I believe it makes Australia weaker, and it also has cruel consequences for many of our most vulnerable, including in our school yards,” Wong told the Senate.

Afghanistan-born Fatima Payman told Hanson that her use of the burqa was ‘disgraceful’ and ‘a shame’, reported AP.

Who is Pauline Hanson?

Pauline Hanson was born in Brisbane.

She is a mother of four and was a small business owner from 1978 to 1997, before entering parliament. According to her page on the Australian government website, she is divorced.

At present, she is the Leader of Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party.

Career

— From 1994 to 1995, she served as the Councillor at Ipswich City Council.

— In 1996, she was elected to the House of Representatives for Oxley, Queensland.

—However, in 1998, she lost the general elections.

— In 2016, she was elected to the Senate for Queensland.

— She was elected to the Senate in 2022.

— From August 2022, she is also on the Senate Standing: Selection of Bills committee.

According to an AP report, a judge ruled last year that Hanson breached a racial anti-discrimination law by telling Pakistan-born Mehreen Faruqi in a social media post to return to her homeland. Hanson is appealing that ruling.