Excerpt:
Prime Minister Tony Abbott's most senior adviser, Peta Credlin, has told Liberal National MP George Christensen she is sympathetic to a burqa ban in Parliament House on security grounds, but warned him not to inflame community tensions while debating the head wear.
Fairfax Media can reveal that Ms Credlin, who is considered one of the most influential figures in the Abbott government, spoke to Mr Christensen about the prospect of a ban last week soon after the MP said that: "Team Australia needs to make this decision [to ban the burqa]" in public spaces.
It is understood Ms Credlin told Mr Christensen to be careful not to conflate the need to identify someone for security reasons with the broader debate in the Australian community about the wearing of burqas.