A push to “ban the burqa” has resurfaced from South Australian Liberal senator Cory Bernardi, drawing condemnation from some corners of the western suburbs.
In the wake of the counter-terrorism operation on September 18, Senator Bernardi - who was behind an anti-burqa push in 2010 - took to Twitter to describe the burqa as a “shroud of oppression” and a “flag of fundamentalism”.
“Note burqa wearers in some of the houses raided this morning? This shroud of oppression and flag of fundamentalism is not right in Aust [sic],” Senator Bernardi wrote.
Senator Bernardi has requested that entrants to Parliament House be forbidden from wearing “facial coverings”. The Sydney Morning Herald has reported that Speaker of the House, Bronwyn Bishop, and Senate President Stephen Parry, are considering his request.
Auburn resident Selma Ihran of the Australian Muslim Women’s Assocation said although she personally did not agree with wearing a burqa or niqab in Australia, banning them would only increase division.
“This is all inflammatory, visual fear mongering,” Ms Ihram said.
“I personally don’t agree with wearing it in Australia because I don’t believe it’s critical to Islam, but at the same time I don’t believe it’s right to tell people what they can and cannot wear.”
Parramatta Mosque chairman Neil El-Kadomi said banning the burqa risked inflaming tensions in the community in the wake of the death of 18-year-old Numan Haider in Victoria yesterday.
“We do not want another Cronulla,” Mr El-Kadomi said.
“Already the community is boiling... and to start invading the privacy of the Muslim women, that will increase the hatred and the violence... We have the right to wear what we want and Australian law says there’s freedom of religion.
“We’re waiting for the community to calm down about what happened yesterday.”
Federal Labor Greenway MP Michelle Rowland said Senator Barnardi was inflaming tensions in Australia.
“I’m especially disappointed that this has come up at a time when we have all of our political leaders calling for unity,” Ms Rowland said.
“This is an issue that has serious potential to divide our community, especially in the last 36 hours or so when we’ve seen events take place.
“Women in Australia have the freedom to wear whatever they like. In terms of being able to identify people, we already have laws in place to require identification where necessary... By and large that occurs with a minimum of fuss.”
Editor of the Bella Vista-based The Indian Telegraph newspaper Arijit Banarji said Senator Bernardi’s “timing was not right” while the country considers new national security legislation.
“The timing is not right to be making such comments,” Mr Banarji said.
“Everybody who goes into Parliament has to go through security checks whether they wear a burqa or not... If they walk through a scanner and it does beep, maybe have a female officer there who can check her.”
He said the focus should be on engaging in dialogue with Muslim communities, rather than making them feel increased pressure to conform.
Former western Sydney resident Amina Ghafoor, now of Brisbane, who wears a burqa, said she was “disgusted” by Senator Bernardi’s comments, along with politicians Jacquie Lambie and Fred Nile.
“Right now, I’m contributing to society while dressed in my burqa, but if there was a ban, I’d never leave my house, so there goes my contribution to society. Instead of progress, Australia would regress,” said Mrs Ghafoor, who is currently studying a Bachelor of Education.
“I am an Australian, I pay my taxes, I work, I study, I should have the same rights as everybody else. I see people on the streets with strange piercings and tattoos and I find that confronting, but you don’t see me campaigning to change the way they dress.”
Mrs Ghafoor, who appeared on SBS’s Insight program in 2010 in her burqa alongside Senator Bernardi, said religious freedom was safeguarded by Section 116 of the Australian Constitution.
“Perhaps some of the politicians need to check the Constitution,” she said.
“When I felt like I couldn’t wear my burqa at university, I didn’t give up the burqa, instead, I dropped out of uni. What people need to realise is that our beliefs are deeply held, and we will never give it up, especially when they are supported by our Australian Constitution. I am now back at uni finishing off my degree, in my burqa.”
Asked whether he’d support a ban, Penrith councillor Maurice Girrotto said that sort of issue should be taken to a Referendum, rather than left in the hands of individual lawmakers.
“I believe in democracy working that way,” Cr Girrotto said.
“It’s not just one person’s passion, it’s not one person’s idea. The masses of people should make a decision, not a particualr party or particular politician.”
A spokeswoman for Liberal Linsday MP Fiona Scott said: “At this stage, I don’t believe we’ll comment”, before saying she would call back to confirm that, but did not respond before deadline.
A spokesman for Liberal Senator for Western Sydney Marise Payne said Ms Payne would not be commenting on the issue after Fairfax asked Ms Payne for her stance on the proposed ban.
“Senator Payne has several commitments and will be unable to comment,” he said.
Comment has been sought (and will be included once received) from State Parramatta Liberal MP Geoff Lee, Federal Mitchell Liberal MP Alex Hawke, Federal Berowra MP Phillip Ruddock and Parramatta Federal Labor MP Julie Owens.