Pauline Hanson says her critics are ignoring the Australian people’s wishes by refusing to ban the burqa.
The One Nation leader was slammed on Thursday for wearing the Islamic garment on the Senate floor, claiming it had ‘no place’ in Australian society.
Attorney-General George Brandis tore into the stunt in an impassioned speech that received a rare standing ovation from Labor and Greens colleagues.
But the right-wing firebrand hit back the next morning, accusing her many critics of being out of touch with voters concerned about Islam in Australia.
Pauline Hanson says her critics are ignoring the Australian people’s wishes by refusing to ban the burqa
The One Nation leader was widely condemned on Thursday for wearing the Islamic garment on the Senate floor, claiming it had ‘no place’ in Australian society
‘For George Brandis and everyone in that Parliament to shut me down is not answering the Australian people,’ she said on the Today show on Friday.
‘They’ve been ignored, people like George Brandis and the Labor Party and Derryn Hinch that stood up and applauded his comments are not really understanding how the Australian people feel and think.’
Senator Hanson said her critics were trying to ‘shut down’ people with her views because they ‘don’t want to stand up to the facts’.
‘The people will have their say at the ballot box,’ she said, after a poll of Today viewers showed 59 per cent of respondents agreed with her stunt.
The 63-year-old said wearing a burqa was not a religious requirement and claimed many Muslim wore it to impose their ideology on Australians.
Voice quavering, the Attorney-General said it was ‘appalling’ for Senator Hanson to ‘drive (Muslims) into a corner’
Surprise ovation: Senators from the Greens and Labor joined a standing ovation for George Brandis’s spontaneous speech
‘I think a lot of these people wear it just for the fact of saying we are going to do what we want to do in your country, we are going to use your country, we are going to use your laws to further our political agenda, our ideology,’ she said.
‘Let’s look at what is right for this country. Where do we want to go? Is it national security? Do we want social cohesion? Let the people have their say.’
The anti-immigration campaigner said she did not oppose the Islamic religion, just the ‘political ideology’ that came along with it.
‘I have no problems with religion, I have a problem with the political ideology that is incompatible with our culture and way of life and are shutting down a lot of things that we are dear to our hearts as Australians,’ she said.
Senator Hanson said Parliament House was getting a $16 million upgrade because ‘we’re in fear of a threat’, but voters did not get the same protection.
‘It’s alright for us parliamentarians are protected in many ways for having security guards. What about the people on our streets, what about the terrorist attacks that are happening,’ she said.
Senator Hanson rips off the burqa (left and right) after labelling it a threat to national security
Her comments followed a stinging rebuke from Senator Brandis immediately following her demand for the chamber to support a burqa ban.
‘I am not going to pretend to ignore the stunt that you have tried to pull today by arriving in the Chamber dressed in a burqa,’ the Liberal Senate leader said.
‘We all know that you are not an adherent of the Islamic faith.’
The minister continued: ‘We have about 500,000 Australians in this country of the Islamic faith. And the vast majority of them are law abiding good Australians.
‘Senator Hanson, it is absolutely consistent with being a good, law-abiding Australian and being a strict adherent Muslim.’
‘And to ridicule that community, to drive it into a corner, to mock its religious garments is an appalling thing to do and I would ask you to reflect on what you have done.’
Senator Hanson will move a motion in parliament on Thursday, to be debated in the afternoon, calling on the federal government to ban the burqa
Crossbencher Derryn Hinch also questioned whether Senator Hanson could remain in the chamber.
‘I understand that she is not a Muslim, not of Islamic faith. Can I appear tomorrow in fancy dress unchallenged?’ he asked the Senate president.
Senator Hanson sat in the chamber with the burqa for some time before dramatically ripping it off to as her colleague if they would support banning it.
‘There have been 13 foiled national threats against us with terrorism, three that have been successful and Australians have lost their lives,’ she said.
‘Terrorism is a true threat to our country. Many Australians are very much in fear of it.
‘A large majority of Australians wish to see the banning of the burqa.’