Photo: The issue of segregating women wearing burkas in Parliament House may be resolved soon, MPs suggest. (AAP: Lukas Coch)

Burka segregation in Parliament is reversed by Speaker Bronwyn Bishop

By Emma Griffiths and James Glenday

20 Oct 2014,

(Translation of this article appears in Arabic section)

A move to force Muslim women who cover their faces to sit in a separate enclosed public gallery at Parliament House has been reversed.

Earlier this month, Speaker Bronwyn Bishop and Senate President Stephen Parry approved new rules applying to anyone wearing "facial coverings".

But the move caused outcry and an intervention from Prime Minister Tony Abbott, who is believed to have told Mrs Bishop that "common sense should prevail".

A Department of Parliamentary Services statement on security arrangements released this morning said it had replaced the earlier measures.

The new arrangements stipulate that all visitors entering Parliament will be required to "temporarily remove any coverings".

"That will enable 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," DPS said in the statement.

"Once this process has taken place, visitors are free to move about the public spaces of the building, including all chamber galleries, with facial coverings in place."

Senator Parry told a parliamentary committee this morning that he and Mrs Bishop made the initial decision because of concerns about a protest.

"I was advised that a group of people, some being male, were going to disrupt Question Time in the House of Representatives," he said.

"The advice further indicated that this group would be wearing garments that would prevent recognition of facial features and possibly their gender.

"As a result of this advice, coming to me via the Usher of the Black Rod and the Speaker's office, the Speaker and I agreed to put in place temporary measures to ensure that such an event in the public gallery would not be disruptive, particularly when the identity of any person causing disruption would be difficult to determine."

The protest did not eventuate.

Labor says questions still need to be answered

Labor's manager of opposition business, frontbencher Tony Burke, said the backdown was welcome but that the Speaker and President still needed to explain why this "farce" was initiated.

"What possessed them to think that segregation was a good idea?" he said.

Burkas, niqabs and hijabs

Islamic studies lecturer Raihan Ismail answers some common questions about Muslim veils

Islamic studies lecturer Raihan Ismail answers some common questions about Muslim veils.

"Segregation was previously introduced, apparently, with no security advice attached to it and no security reason attached to it."

When the ban was announced, Senator Parry described it as a "management measure".

Mr Burke said segregation should not be part of Australian life.

"I want children to learn about segregation when they're reading the courtroom scenes in To Kill A Mockingbird, not when they come on their excursion to Parliament House," he said.

Labor frontbencher Matt Thistlethwaite said the initial security check at Parliament House would be enough.

"Security at Parliament House is paramount and people go through security checks every day before they come into the Parliament," he said.

"Once they have cleared that check, they should be able to, subject to protocols, move around Parliament and not be segregated as was proposed by the Speaker and the President."

Anti-burka Coalition MP had criticised Parliament ban

An outspoken opponent of Islamic facial coverings had earlier criticised the decision to seat women wearing burkas in glass enclosures at Parliament House.

LNP backbencher George Christensen told AM, that "segregating people in an area probably isn't the best thing".

"I suppose [the Speaker and the Senate President] were looking for a happy medium," Mr Christensen said.

"I think what was found ... had a lot of adverse reaction more so than simply banning facial coverings in Parliament House would have.

"I think the best thing is simply to say we need to see your face in Parliament. Everyone's welcome as long as we can see your face.

"It's a debate that needs to be had."

The Speaker and the Senate President did not respond to AM's requests for comment.