Pauline Hanson grills teenage girl who wears a niqab and asks her blunt questions about men having multiple wives, sharia law and wearing a bikini

By NICHOLAS COMINO, POLITICAL REPORTER, AUSTRALIA Published: 04:35, 20 July 2026 | Updated: 04:53, 20 July 2026 One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has grilled a teenage high school student at an Islamic school about her decision to wear a niqab, her views on sharia law and men taking multiple wives.    The discussion was part of a candid exchange aired on Seven's Spotlight on Sunday night, where Senator Hanson was also filmed visiting the UK and meeting far-right activist Tommy Robinson.   During her visit to the Islamic College of Brisbane, Hanson told 15-year-old Nabiha that her concerns were not about Muslims in general, but about what she saw as growing radicalisation in Australia. 'We are seeing so much radicalisation happening in this country,' Hanson said - more than seven months after the country suffered the worst terrorist attack in its history at Bondi Beach. 'People are in fear now of attacks. Most of those attacks come from radical Islam in this country. That's where my concern is,' Hanson said.  The conversation then turned to Nabiha's choice to wear a niqab, a face covering that leaves only the eyes visible.  Hanson asked whether it was Nabiha's own decision, or whether her family had influenced her. 'My mother wears it, but I chose to wear it,' Nabiha said. 15-year-old Nabiha (pictured) explained to Hanson that it was her choice to wear a niqab  during a Seven News Spotlight segment 'As I grew older, my urge to wear it grew stronger. It was my own choice.' Asked why she wanted to wear the niqab, Nabiha explained that it strengthened her faith and allowed her to avoid being judged on her appearance. 'Because I feel like it strengthens my connection with God,' she said. 'It also makes me feel liberated from social beauty standards. 'Wearing it makes me feel like people can't judge me based on my appearance. They focus more on other parts of me, how I talk and how I interact with other people.' Hanson acknowledged Nabiha's explanation but raised concerns about women feeling pressured to wear religious coverings. 'It's your choice. I acknowledge that and I accept that,' Hanson said. 'But a lot of women are forced to wear it when they don't want to.' Hanson (pictured while speaking with the student) said her concerns were about radicalisation rather than just the Muslim faith. Islamic school principal Ali Kadri on right The conversation moved to 'Australian culture'. 'Would you ever wear a bikini to the beach?' Hanson asked. 'It's very much part of Australian culture to wear swimsuits on beaches,' Hanson said. Nabiha pushed back, saying that not wearing a bikini did not make her less Australian than others. 'If I don't follow that kind of Australian culture, does that mean I'm less Australian than someone who does?' she said. Hanson also questioned Nabiha about polygamy and sharia law, the Islamic legal and ethical framework that guides aspects of religious practice and daily life, including matters such as marriage, finance and family relationships.  Asked if men should be allowed to have multiple wives, Nabiha replied that people in Australia should follow Australian law. 'In Australia it is not allowed, and I believe people should follow Australian law because they choose to live in this country and should abide by the law,' she said. Hanson met with the students at the Islamic College of Brisbane in Karawatha (pictured)  When Hanson asked whether she believed in sharia law, Nabiha answered: 'Yes.' Pressed on whether it should be allowed in Australia, she replied: 'Not if it's against the law.' Hanson then asked whether parents should be able to arrange a marriage for their child. 'Yes. I don't see why there's a problem, because my parents know what's best for me,' Nabiha said. 'As long as there is mutual agreement, and the child themselves is okay with it, then I don't see why there's a problem.' Hanson has twice worn variants of Islamic dress into the Senate chamber, in 2017 and 2025, as part of provocative stunts. She was censured during last year's outing.   One Nation has regained momentum in the latest opinion polls after a brief downturn, with Newspoll on Sunday showing the party's primary vote rising by one percentage point to 30 per cent, level with Labor.  Labor's primary vote fell three points over the same period. The Coalition also posted a modest improvement, with its primary vote climbing to 19 per cent, up from a historic low of 17 per cent.