Senators Pauline Hanson and Richard Di Natale Battle Over Proposed Burqa and Niqab Ban

Senators Pauline Hanson and Richard Di Natale went head-to-head in the Senate on Thursday, September 13, after Hanson attempted to introduce a petition targeting hijab and niqab wearers.The petition, called motion 1048, asked the Senate to “acknowledge full-face coverings, such as burqas and niqabs, have no place in modern western society &, call on the Government to move to ban them in places where identification is necessary & security is an issue.”It further recommended that Parliament ban “any form of full-face covering.” Both recommendations failed.Hanson attempted to explain that the burqa and niqab were “not a religious requirement” but “a form of dress” and said that her recommendation was based on “security.”Greens leader Di Natale said Hanson “should hang her head in shame” and called her a “disgrace.”Last year, Hanson made headlines after wearing a burqa into the chamber. Credit: ParlView via Storyful