Grattan on Friday: With the eligibility of the Nationals’ leadership under question, Malcolm Turnbull has had a nightmarish week. Mick Tsikas/AAP Michelle Grattan , University of Canberra In a week belonging more appropriately to Shaun Micallef comedy than parliamentary reality, it’s arguable Pauline Hanson’s burqa stunt wasn’t the most extraordinary thing that happened in Canberra. Hanson has extreme beliefs and therefore it mightn’t be so surprising – though it is appalling – that she’s willing to use the parliament as a stage for extremely bad behaviour. In donning the burqa purchased on eBay and entering the Senate chamber, she was as attention-seeking as the streaker who races naked across the football ground, though her motive was darker. Let’s call out her action, but not play into her cynical pursuit of mega publicity. Entirely beyond imagination was the week being bookended by the Nationals leader, Barnaby Joyce , and his deputy, senato...
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