By now, you will have heard that Pauline Hanson showed up to federal parliament this afternoon, dressed in a full burqa. Because no shame.
It probably didn’t go as planned for Hanson… even Liberal Senator George Brandis unloaded on her for the ‘stunt’. But more to the point, none of it really made any sense, whatsoever.
Hanson opened her rant by taking the burqa off, and noting, “I’m quite happy to remove this, because this is not what should belong in this parliament.”
Which begs the question… if that really is Hanson’s view, why did she wear it to parliament in the first place?
Stupidity aside, you’ve got to wonder what it is with extreme right-wingers, and their apparent love of dress up, because Hanson is far from the first to humiliate herself ‘in character’.
In 2014, Senator Ian Macdonald sparked a hub-bub when he entered the Senate dressed as a miner. Macdonald was trying to make the point that mining was good, and anything that doesn’t involve mining is bad. He got owned by Scott Ludlam, who sat behind him with a large sign that simply read, ‘SRSLY’.
In 2008, Family First Senator and religious extremist Steve Fielding turned up to the Senate doors dressed as a beer bottle. Because recycling.
Admittedly, in that photo Fielding could easily be mistaken as a Grand Wizard from the Ku Klux Klan. This video will help put it in more context.
Bob Katter, keen gun enthusiast and leader of a massive electorate that apparently has no gay people, turns up to Parliament every week dressed as a Texan. Here he is below, being interviewed by the lads from the mighty Betoota Advocate.
Religious zealots Tony Abbott and Kevin Andrews can be routinely seen around Canberra dressed like they’re auditioning for a 1980s aerobics video.
Last month, Barnaby Joyce turned up to the Mid Winter Ball in Canberra dressed as a Male Dominatrix.
Barnaby Joyce and wife Natalie at the 2017 Mid-Winter Ball..
But by far the most daring and ostentatious stunt has been performed by Senator Cory Bernardi, who has repeatedly turned up to parliament pretending to be human. Albeit with a 1000-yard stare.
Donate To New Matilda
New Matilda is a small, independent media outlet. We survive through reader contributions, and never losing a lawsuit. If you got something from this article, giving something back helps us to continue speaking truth to power. Every little bit counts.
