• Senator Pauline Hanson suspended for seven days after wearing a burqa in Parliament.
• The stunt aimed to push for a ban on burqas and faced widespread condemnation.
• Lawmakers labeled the act as "racist" and "disrespectful" to Muslim Australians.

Australian Senator Pauline Hanson, leader of the far-right One Nation party, was suspended for seven parliamentary days after wearing a burqa in the chamber as part of her campaign to ban the Muslim garment. This action was condemned as "blatant racism" by Muslim lawmakers and other senators, leading to a brief suspension of Senate proceedings, according to Indiatimes and Reuters.

The protest occurred after her request to introduce a bill banning burqas was denied. In response, Hanson argued, “There is no dress code on the floor of Parliament,” adding that the Senate's actions were hypocritical. Her stance reflects long-standing anti-immigration sentiments, promoting her party's nationalist agenda, as mentioned by LA Times and CBS News.

Hanson’s actions drew sharp criticism from various senators, including Foreign Minister Penny Wong, who called the stunt "hateful and shallow," claiming it undermines Australia’s social cohesion. Wong noted that this kind of discourse has "cruel consequences for many of our most vulnerable," referring to the Muslim community in Australia, as reported by Reuters and LA Times.

This is not the first time Hanson has worn a burqa in Parliament; she previously did so in 2017. On that occasion, she faced no punishment. This time, a motion to censure her passed overwhelmingly with a vote of 55 to 5, showcasing the Senate’s strong disapproval of her actions, according to CBS News and Indiatimes.