Pauline Hanson has urged Anthony Albanese to overturn her seven-day Senate suspension, handed down after she entered the chamber wearing a burqa in late November 2025.
The suspension, which followed a censure motion the day after the incident, will keep the One Nation leader out of Parliament into early 2026, preventing her from taking part in debates on measures expected in response to the Bondi Beach terror attack.
Hanson still has four sitting days remaining on her ban, with Albanese expected to recall Parliament ahead of Australia Day.
Hanson wore the burqa after senators refused her leave to introduce a bill to ban full-face coverings in public.
Her protest drew swift condemnation from across the chamber.
When she declined to remove the garment or leave, Senate proceedings were suspended for about 90 minutes.
The next day, senators passed a censure motion and barred Hanson for seven consecutive sitting days.
In a letter to Albanese, Hanson claimed the penalty was politically motivated, and accused the major parties of silencing debate on her proposed legislation.
Hanson (pictured) was banned from the Senate for seven sitting days after her burqa stunt
‘On the 25th of November, 2025, the government Senate Leader, Penny Wong, moved a censure motion against me for my efforts to raise awareness of the unrestrained growth of radical Islam on Australian soil,’ she wrote.
Hanson added the penalty restricted her ability to do her job.
‘My contribution to this debate as the leader of One Nation for Queensland is critical,’ Hanson said.
She argued the government was deflecting attention from national security issues in the wake of the Bondi Beach attack on December 14.
She said the Prime Minister’s plan to recall Parliament for hate-speech law reforms and a national gun buy-back was ‘designed to deflect from the real issue of radical Islam’.
‘Despite my warnings about radical Islam infiltrating Australia, your government chooses to vilify me in every way possible for sharing the concerns of an overwhelming majority of Australians,’ Hanson said.
‘I am seeking your support to overturn the ban imposed upon me by the Senate to debate these urgent bills.’
Hanson accused Labor of prioritising electoral politics in western Sydney and criticised the party’s support for pro-Palestine protests, as well as backing recognition of a Palestinian state while it remains controlled by Hamas, a listed terrorist group.
Pauline Hanson (pictured) has urged Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to overturn her ban
‘One Nation’s repeated warnings of antisemitism and Jew hatred were ignored by Labor and the Greens, who have never been shy in standing with Labor-held seats across Western Sydney by supporting pro-Palestine protests and the recognition of a terrorist-controlled Palestine,’ Hanson wrote.
She further claimed she was being sidelined from official overseas delegations.
‘Your government also chooses to uphold the Senate’s decision to ban me from attending official overseas delegations,’ Hanson wrote.
She asserted foreign leaders preferred private discussions with her, and pointed to previous meetings.
‘Quite frankly, leaders prefer to speak freely with me without an entourage of elected bedwetters from your own party who spend too much time worrying about what your colleagues think of them,’ Hanson said.
Hanson previously wore a burqa in the Senate in 2017, but did not receive a formal suspension for doing so.
It remains unclear whether Albanese has responded to Hanson’s letter, or if there are any plans to overturn her ban.
Daily Mail contacted Albanese and Hanson for comment.