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An emotional Attorney-General George Brandis has been given a standing ovation in Parliament for slamming One Nation leader Pauline Hanson's decision to wear a burka into the Senate.
Senator Hanson caused audible gasps of shock when she wore the full Islamic dress into Question Time, calling for the dress to be banned in Australia.
Liberal senator from Tasmania Jonathon Duniam was heard saying, "oh, what on earth", before Senate president Stephen Parry said Senator Hanson had been identified before entering the chamber.
Senator Brandis was close to tears while criticising Senator Hanson for attacking the Islamic faith and undermining relations with the Muslim community.
"To ridicule that community, to drive it into a corner, to mock its religious garments is an appalling thing to do," he said.
"I would ask you to reflect on that."
Senator Brandis ruled out banning the burka.
Labor and Greens senators stood and applauded Senator Brandis after his answer to Senator Hanson.
Quite a few of his Liberal colleagues also applauded him, including Mathias Cormann, Arthur Sinodinos, Simon Birmingham, James Patterson, Dean Smith, Mitch Fifield, Jane Hume and Anne Ruston.
Labor's Senate leader, Penny Wong, congratulated Senator Brandis.
"It is one thing to wear religious dress as a sincere act of faith, there is another to wear it as a stunt here in the chamber," she said.
In a statement, Senator Hanson said she wore the burka in an attempt to highlight what she sees as security risks.
She said the burka was oppressive, disadvantaged women from finding employment and had no place in Western society.
The Federal Government has routinely rejected her calls to ban the burka from Government buildings and places where people need to be identified for security purposes.
Senator Parry said he would not dictate how senators dress in the Upper House.
Greens leader Richard Di Natale, who is not known for praising the Attorney-General, also congratulated Senator Brandis for a "strong, impassioned, and personal response".
"I want to thank you for showing leadership in this chamber, leadership that is so often lacking in this Parliament," Senate Di Natale said.
Topics: pauline-hanson, one-nation, federal-parliament, parliament, government-and-politics, australia
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