Greens blame Pauline Hanson for next terror attack after burqa stunt
Sarah Hanson-Young says the next terror attack will be on Pauline Hanson's head after her burqa stunt in the Senate. Photo: AAP
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has demanded an apology from a Greens senator who told her the next terror attack in Australia would be “on your head”.
Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young faced off with the One Nation leader over the firebrand politician’s burqa stunt last week, which she described as disgraceful.
In a fiery exchange, Senator Hanson-Young said the Queensland politician should consider warnings from experts saying those kinds of inflammatory acts could be used to promote extremism.
“You are doing ISIS’s work for them,” Senator Hanson-Young told the Seven Network on Monday.
“You are putting the entire country at risk.”
Labelling the move a “stupid stunt”, Senator Hanson-Young added: “The next attack in Australia will be on your head Pauline.”
Sarah Hanson-Young slammed Pauline Hanson on Monday. Photo: AAP
“Acts and stunts like this only serve to incite more violence and hatred from extremists on both sides, and I think that is extremely dangerous and not fit for somebody who wants to sit in Parliament,” she said.
Senator Hanson said there were national security risks related to the full-face veil, worn by a tiny minority of Muslim women.
“Why have we got Islamic countries around the world that are banning the burka? Tunisia, Turkey, Congo, Malaysia, these are countries that banned the burka for national security,” she said.
Later, Senator Hanson demanded an apology.
“To think that drawing attention to the problems associated with full face coverings like the burqa, and starting a debate, might somehow justify a terrorist attack on Australian soil shows you just how out of touch the Greens are,” Senator Hanson said in a statement.
“It was disgusting and Ms Hanson-Young should apologise.”
The latest Newspoll, which was conducted after Senator Hanson outraged all sides of politics by wearing a burqa in the Senate on Thursday, found One Nation’s primary vote rose from 8 per cent to 9 per cent. The poll had a margin of error of 3 per cent.
"I don't want to see one life lost:" Pauline Hanson. But Senator Sarah Hanson-Young says Pauline Hanson is "doing ISIS' work for them" pic.twitter.com/sNwkZ4Ol4x
— 7NEWS Perth (@7NewsPerth) August 21, 2017
Speaking on Sunrise, Senator Hanson said she didn’t believe any increase in her popularity was caused by her move on Thursday.
“But, I do believe the burqa is something that we need to actually talk about,” she said.
Senator Hanson claimed that she had been attempting to start a debate about the national security risk related to the burqa.
She said that she had been able to walk into the Senate wearing the veil without anyone verifying her identity, a claim disputed by Senate President Stephen Parry.
The act was condemned by all sides of politics and experts warned it could have undermine authorities efforts to work with the Muslim community.
It could also be used as fodder by Islamic extremists, Professor Greg Barton, a terrorism expert at Deakin University told The New Daily last week.
Attorney-General George Brandis was widely praised for his response to the stunt, which he labelled “appalling” while calling on Senator Hanson to reflect on the offence she may have caused.
Professor Barton said it was incumbent on the government to respond to such inflammatory acts in order to limit the damage.
“It’s impossible to stop her doing what she does. That’s democracy, you get the full spectrum,” Professor Barton said.
“What’s important is that the government of the day responds, and that’s what George Brandis did.”
Senator Hanson clashed with ASIO chief Duncan Lewis earlier in the year over the burqa.
Mr Lewis dismissed Senator Hanson’s claims that the burqa was a security risk.
-with AAP