Hanson wants face coverings Senate ban as dress codes under microscope

Pauling Hanson is seeking support to amend standing orders in the Senate and ban face coverings.

One Nation’s Pauline Hanson wears a burka in the Senate on August 17.

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has urged senators to amend standing orders to ban face-coverings in the chamber after the president of the Senate, Stephen Parry, referred the issue to the procedure committee.

Senator Parry referred the lack of a formal dress code in the upper house to a review following Senator Hanson’s controversial decision to wear a burka into the chamber when the parliament sat in August.

Senator Parry referred the issue to the Senate’s standing committee on procedure, which is chaired by West Australian Labor senator Sue Lines.

He asked it to examine the need to set a formal dress code and whether he would need new powers to enforce it.

Senator Parry said the Senate would make a final decision on whether to approve changes.