It would seem there are some things in Australia we are not allowed to discuss. A ban on the burqa is clearly one of them. But the time has come to get over our fears and cultural fragilities – and grow up. The call to ban the burqa is receiving serious consideration in European parliaments. And it should here, too.

Belgian legislators voted last month to outlaw the burqa in public places. On Wednesday, a bipartisan resolution passed by the French parliament deploring the burqa – on the grounds of “dignity” and “equality of men and women” – was presented to the French cabinet, and a ban is expected later this year. Italy, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Canada are also grappling with the issue.

But in Australia, in a sign of cultural timidity and intellectual weakness, we seem intent on shunning any meaningful debate about the burqa and its place in a liberal democracy.

Virginia Haussegger in The Age, 21 May 2010

Haussegger quotes Malalai Joya in support of her argument, omitting to inform her readers that the Afghan politician has condemned proposals to ban the veil, on the grounds that it is “against the very basic element of democracy to restrict a human being from wearing the clothes of his/her choice”.

See also “Nile vows to continue fight against the burqa “, Sydney Morning Herald, 21 May 2010

The Reverend Fred Nile today tried to introduce a bill to the NSW Parliament calling for a ban on the burqa, a head and body veil worn by some Muslim women. But his motion to have a private member’s bill read and debated failed by three votes to 29 – only he and two Shooters’ Party members voted for it.

The Christian Democrats MP wanted NSW to follow a growing list of European countries that have moved to ban women from wearing the full head and body covering in public.

Mr Nile’s Full-face Coverings Prohibition Bill was modelled on legislation recently passed by the Belgium Parliament. He says concealment of a person’s face – male or female – for any purpose, including terrorism, anarchism or discrimination against women, should be banned.

“We must do all we can to protect women, especially Muslim women, from discrimination and oppression so they live an open lifestyle,” Mr Nile said. “The wearing of the burqa is a form of oppression which has no place in the 21st century.” It also presented a security risk, he said, citing terrorists in the Middle East and Russia who had launched attacks while concealing their identity or weapons under a burqa.

Mr Nile introduced a similar bill in 2006 and 2002, prompting widespread condemnation.

Sydney Morning Herald, 20 May 2010

Catch the video of Reza Aslan commenting on the French plan to ban the veil.

See also “Burqa debate stopped in NSW upper house”, Sydney Morning Herald, 20 May 2010

The Reverend Fred Nile will introduce a Bill to parliament calling for a ban on the Islamic burqa head and body veil.

The Christian Democrats MP wants NSW to follow France and other European countries, which have moved to ban women from wearing the full head and body covering in public. The private member’s Bill will likely be introduced next Thursday.

“We should establish that in Australia we are an open society, that people don’t cover up their faces. If they are involved in criminal activity they do,” Mr Nile said yesterday. “They do it with the burqa, it is not part of our culture and tradition.”

Muslim spokesman Keysar Trad attacked the proposed law, and said it was an attack on women’s freedom. “Muslim women will be disgusted, especially that a man who is supposedly a man of God is telling them to remove items of clothing and telling them how to dress,” he said. “While I don’t advocate the face cover, I will defend the rights of any Muslim woman who wishes to wear it and if she doesn’t choose to wear it, I defend her as well.”

Mr Nile asked the State Government to ban the burqa eight years ago in a move that sparked a furore at the time. But his private member’s Bill will almost certainly not succeed because he lacks the required numbers.

Mr Nile told parliament on Wednesday night there were also security fears as terrorists in the Middle East and Russia had launched attacks while concealing their identity under a burqa.

Daily Telegraph, 14 May 2010