Federal Parliament Burqa Ban Reversed
Tuesday 21 October 2014 @ 10.02 a.m. | Legal Research
Speaker Bronwyn Bishop and Senate President Stephen Parry have reversed their decision on the burqa ban in parliamentary proceedings made earlier in the month. The back down followed a huge public outcry over the ruling which criticised the ban as a disgusting violation to the freedom of Australian women.
On the 2 October 2014, Prime Minister Tony Abbott effectively overruled the decree by requesting the speaker and Senate president to ‘rethink’ their decision. Even though it was simply a request from the Prime Minister as the presiding officers have authority over arrangements for the parliament, Bishop and Parry had little option but to comply.
Background to Burqa Ban
The decree was passed earlier in the month effectively requiring women with facial coverings to be seated in glass enclosures to view parliament proceedings. The glass enclosure in question is usually reserved for rowdy school children who could view the proceedings without interrupting the discussions below. The decree, which immediately sparked protests, is part of a continuing Parliament House security crackdown.
Parry defended the decree by insisting that people needed to be identified if they caused an incident or interjected in proceedings. He adds “They need to be identified quickly and easily so they can be removed … and we need to know who that person is so they cannot return to the gallery, disguised or otherwise.”
The reversal in decision now means that women wearing facial coverings can be seated in the general gallery but they will have to show their faces on entering the building.
A Statement from Department of Parliamentary Services explained:
“This will enable DPS security staff to identify any person who may have been banned from entering Parliament House or who may be known, or discovered, to be a security risk.”
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