Ban the Burka...

[Rorschach]

Tony Abbott expresses support for parliamentary burqa ban, but colleagues do not
Date October 2, 2014 - 9:28AM
James Massola
Political correspondent

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has expressed support for a push to ban the burqa from Parliament House on security grounds, prompting senior Liberal figures to distance themselves from him.

And with parliamentary officials expected to rule on a possible ban as soon as next week after receiving advice from security agencies, Mr Abbott's comments prompted a backlash from sections of the Muslim community.

The PM's chief of staff Peta Credlin has spoken of her support for a burqa ban at Parliament. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen
Fairfax Media revealed on Wednesday Mr Abbott's most senior adviser, Peta Credlin, had told backbench MP and burqa critic George Christensen she also supported a ban in Parliament. Mr Christensen and South Australian senator Cory Bernardi have led the push to ban the garment in Parliament House.

Rather than hauling the duo into line, Mr Abbott said he found the burqa a "fairly confronting form of attire and frankly I wish it weren't worn".

"We are free country, we are a free society and it's not the business of government to tell people what they should and shouldn't wear," he said, before adding he was unaware of any record of anyone attempting to enter Parliament wearing the garment.


Photo: Fairfax Media
"I just want to stress that this is a secure building and it should be governed by the rules that are appropriate for a secure building and obviously people need to be identifiable in a secure building such as this."

But Attorney-General George Brandis appeared to distance himself from those comments, declaring that, as Australia stepped up its efforts to combat the threat of domestic terrorism, "there could be no greater error than for Australians to demonise our fellow Islamic citizens".

"I have no concerns with Muslims wearing the burqa and I don't have a preference either because frankly it's none of [my] business," he said.


Liberal party figures have distanced themselves from the PM on his burqa stance. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen
Victorian Premier Denis Napthine said there were no plans to restrict the wearing of the burqa in Victoria.

"In Victoria and in Melbourne we find it [wearing the burqa] an absolute vote of confidence in our multicultural society and our multi-faith society," Dr Napthine said.

Australian Federal Police commissioner-designate Andrew Colvin said he did "not necessarily" support a burqa ban in Parliament but "we need to look at the circumstances, where it is appropriate, for us to make certain identification".


Illustration: Ron Tandberg.
Muslim Women's Association executive officer Maha Abdo said the Federal Parliament should implement NSW's rules, which require women wearing a burqa to temporarily remove the garment for identification purposes at airports and courts.

She expressed dismay at Mr Abbott's comments, saying: "Why does he need to express his personal feelings about this issue? If he is really sincere about 'Team Australia', then that statement this morning certainly created a division in 'Team Australia'."

Islamic Association of Australia president Muhammad Wahid also backed the temporary removal of the burqa for identification purposes but stressed very few Muslim women wore a burqa in Australia.

"Being PM, he represents all of Australia so he has to choose his words carefully," he said.

Speaker Bronwyn Bishop asked ASIO and the federal police for an independent security assessment of the garment at a meeting of the newly formed Parliament House security taskforce on Wednesday.

A rule change would affect veils such as the burqa and niqab that cover a person's face but not the hijab, or head scarf.

At present, anyone entering a private area of Parliament House with a covered face has to uncover their face. The rule change would extend to people with a covered face entering a public area.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten, who opposes a burqa ban in Parliament, said Mr Abbott should "stamp" on the issue and not allow his backbenchers to be out there "pushing socially divisive arguments".

with Richard Willingham, Latika Bourke




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194 comments so far
"Rather than hauling the duo into line, Mr Abbott said he found the burqa a "fairly confronting form of attire and frankly I wish it weren't worn"."
Is this a news report or a personal Politically Correct article. .Individual members and the PM have the right to express an opinion .it accords with the thinking of ,many ordinary Australians and may offend the trendy leftists . BUT they [incl the PM]should continue to address the cultural cringe which distresses the people who value the equality of women!!!They are needing to ADDRESS discrimination as has been done by France, Italy and the Netherlands. Th Chancellor of Germany has expressed similar sentiments because of the breakdown in multiculturalism in Germany.
CommenterDisgusted Location Date and time October 01, 2014, 10:17PM
I agree. This article is just pure crap. Members of parliament per what democracy stands for are also meant to voice the opinions and thoughts of their constituents. If that is what is being expressed by those voters, then that is the exact way it is to be presented to parliament.
To stop all the stupid comments on forums such as this, put it to a referendum at the next election and put the issue to rest.
Don't like democracy, then simply get out of the country.
CommenterSafety and security first Location Date and time October 02, 2014, 9:16AM
For the record, "Don't like democracy, then simply get out of the country" is not a statement expressing democratic ideas. Please Google democracy.
Commenterdemocrat Location Date and time October 02, 2014, 9:37AM
Cannot believe the Moderation today. Surely we can discuss the pros and cons on the burqa if the language is appropriate. I broadly support women making their own decisions on modesty, but believe the burqa is a cultural bridge too far in that it is essentially an anti-social statement. It says, you cannot even look at me because you make me feel uncomfortable. It seems an alien concept in an open society like ours and it is difficult to not feel that an adverse judgement has been made against you by people who choose to wear it.
CommenterFlanders Location Date and time October 02, 2014, 9:43AM
Sadly for xenophobes, the ignorant and fearful, the "trendy leftists" tag seems a little difficult to attach to the Victorian Liberal Premier. A likeable chappy who couldn't be more blue tie Melbourne if he tried, who voiced the kind of sound balanced leadership statement that I would suggest many many Australians both "left" and "right" politically had hoped to come out of the mouth of the PM.
Unfortunately, "Disgusted", for you and all the others who have been straining at the leash in response to all the dog-whistling of the past few months, what we got instead from the PM and his CoS was more dog-whistling to play on the fear of the Australian public both "left" and "right" politically.
If you read the article again, you'll see that covering the face in any way is not allowed in the private areas of the House. And that a simple extension of this rule, like at airports and courts, would address the issue without fanfare. Motorcyclists have had to do this at shops, banks and servos for years.
As for Germany, etc., at risk of sounding like a presumptuous trendy lefty, maybe the lesson for Australia to learn from those European countries struggling with ultra-nationalist white extremists is to have leadership and a broader society that rejects such extremism and any aggression and criminality that flows from it. A little like rejecting the extremism and aggression and criminality being acted out unacceptably in the name of Islam in Iraq and Syria at the moment, don't you think?
We are losing the "live and let live" and "yeah, no worries mate" aspects of what we used to like to think it was to be Australian. As Roosevelt said - the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.
Commentermanarch Location Perth Date and time October 02, 2014, 9:43AM
Many Australians find budgie smugglers to be a fairly confronting form of attire that frankly, they wished weren't worn.
I am not a fan of the burqa and believe it to be a tool of suppressing female sexuality. However, any ban on the burqa has to come from Muslim women themselves - not rich, old, white politicians.
I don't buy this security nonsense for a second. Are we supposed to believe that burqa-clad women are committing crimes at a higher rate than the rest of the population? I'm tired of Muslim women being demonised for crimes committed by an extremely small group of Muslim men.
CommenterBrendan1973 Location Date and time October 02, 2014, 9:50AM
@ 'Disgusted' and 'Safety and Security First' - the Prime Minister is supposed to be a voice for all the people. No one group should be excluded from 'Team Australia'. In expressing his opinion as he has done, Abbott has only fanned the flames of this divisive topic. He certainly isn't speaking for me nor for a lot of my friends and colleagues.
Further, 'Safety...' what gives you the idea that banning anything is democratic? If anything, placing bans like you suggest is far removed from what a democratic society is all about.
CommenterArkM Location Sydney Date and time October 02, 2014, 9:55AM
@Manarch.
Will this 'proposed extension to the rule' bring wearers into line with motorcyclists like myself such that they will be required to remove their face covering when entering shops, banks, servo's and the like?
I mean as you say we've had to do it for years so shouldn't be an issue for others either.
This being a society built on equality and all there should be no problem this yeah? I won't hold my breath though....
CommenterChrisR1 Location Brisbane Date and time October 02, 2014, 10:07AM
Flanders,
the Burqa may be an alien concept to you but it is an inalienable right to others.
CommenterEconorat Location Sydney Date and time October 02, 2014, 10:08AM
"the Burqa may be an alien concept to you but it is an inalienable right to others."
Not so inalienable in France, and in the future may be alienable here too.
CommenterRodrigo Location Date and time October 02, 2014, 10:16AM
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[Lucas]

I agree, Ban the Burqa and while you're at it ban islam and the shit it produces.

[Rorschach]

Well I do recall where a wanted male muslim escaped a country wearing a Burkha. So indeed it is a security risk.
People cant wear bike helmets in banks and other institutions why should they be allowed to.
They say they will cooperate with authorities re providing proper identification yet they have failed to do so.
One woman pretending to be another got another off a charge by police on a technicality because there was no proper identification.
others have refused officers to check their identities.

Sorry... Ban the Burkha and all clothing that hides your identity.

[Lucas]

Agreed

[boxy]

Ban... all clothing that hides your identity.

The only way to distinguish between me and my twin, is the Prince Albert that one of us sports...

Nudity for all, yaay

[Lucas]

They do it in the parks in Germany at lunch time I hear.

[GeorgeH]

FDotM:

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Gua ... afinal.jpg

[boxy]

Dog whistles, anyone?

[GeorgeH]

hehehehe that is funny!

[Black Orchid]