Fury as Muslim-baiter Aussie MP wears burqa in Senate
Australian anti-immigration politician Pauline Hanson caused a furore yesterday when she entered the Senate wearing a full burqa, earning a blistering rebuke from the country's top lawyer for the "appalling" stunt.
Hanson wore the Islamic garment in the chamber to highlight what she said were the security issues it posed, linking it to terrorism as fellow senators heckled her.
"Will you work to ban the burqa in Australia in light of what is happening with national security?" she said after whipping off the garment to question Attorney-General George Brandis. She added: "Terrorism is a true threat to our country, many Australians are in fear of it."
Brandis said his conservative government had no such plans, warning Hanson she risked offending the Muslim community by wearing a burka when she was not a follower of Islam.
Brandis, his voice cracking with emotion, said that being a strict adherent Muslim, such as those who wear the burka, was "absolutely consistent" with being a law-abiding citizen.
"We have about half a million Australians in this country of the Islamic faith and the vast majority of them are law-abiding, good Australians," he said.
Brandis' remarks prompted a standing ovation from his political opponents in the Labor and Greens parties.
Hanson first gained prominence in the 1990s, when she warned Australia was in danger of being "swamped by Asians".
After a 12-year hiatus from politics she returned in 2014, this time targeting Muslims and was elected to the Senate two years later as leader of the right-wing One Nation party.
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