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Pauline Hanson wants burqa referendum

Ms Hanson spoke at length on family violence and foreign land ownership. Photo: AAP

Ms Hanson spoke at length on family violence and foreign land ownership. Photo: AAP Photo: AAP

One Nation founder Pauline Hanson wants Prime Minister Tony Abbott to ban religious headwear in Australia, saying she “doesn’t like” what she’s seeing.

Ms Hanson floated the idea of a public referendum on whether headwear like the hijab, niqab and burqa should be banned while in Ipswich on Friday.

“I find it very confronting (and) un-Australian. I don’t like what I’m seeing,” Ms Hanson said.

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“If politicians haven’t got the intestinal fortitude to make this decision, then I suggest put it to a vote to the people and let them have their say in a referendum.”

“Come on, women, break the shackles. This is Australia,” she said.

“If you want to live that way of life, go back to a Muslim country.”

Ms Hanson, 60, returned to politics last year and is contesting the seat of Lockyer in rural Queensland.

The One Nation founder – who resigned from the party in 2002, only to return to the helm last year – also spoke about the need to get rid of halal food certification in Australia.

She claims money from halal certification goes to a Muslim organisation which distributes funds to mosques, before it is channelled into terrorist cells.

But asked to name specific mosques in Australia where this was an established practice, Ms Hanson said: “I don’t head ASIO, I’m an ordinary citizen”.

“ASIO have picked up that this money has been funded through to fund Syria and the terrorism there – so where does this money come from in the first place?” she said.

Comment has been sought from Halal Australia in response.

Queenslanders head to the polls on January 31.

– with AAP

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