See Israel? This is how REAL democracy works, even if some people don't like the result. This is freedom of speech. Israel bans people from entering if they do not like what they say. You people have SO much to learn!! BDS and yay to Elvis Costello!!!

Oh me, oh my. Look at all the mummies lined up in blue, and you cain't see their faces. They must be off to another bank! What a bunch of Bush Rangers!

They go to war in Afghanistan and Iraq to free them of having to wear those oppressive sacks. Now they support wearing them in Australia and elsewhere . Go figure. Hahhaha

Allowing men to force women to cover up in a burka is freedom? Bah! It's Aussie capitulation to Islamic coercion, where they force oppression of the masses in the name of "freedom of religion." I wonder if "resistor" also supports if Aussie husbands want to not just put a burka on their daughters, but ban their girls from going to school and beat their wives if they want to get a job...

You're so pathetic. what the hell are you complaining about? Israel does not allow to wear Burqa? Israel does not allow minorities to live as they want to? Israel does not permit to demonstrate? That's why every Friday there riots? This is so low.... You're lying without proportion, too bad that some people are blind and do not see how ridiculous you look.

Come on ! ! The australian soldiers are being killed and maimed, fighting bravely against the Talibans(The worst women oppressors in the world), and in their homeland the lawmakers allow the use of the most anti-freedom dress by the poor muslims women - Really the aussies lawmakers haven't common sense at all, they think only in their political convenience. Sure if they call all citizens to vote this issue in a plebiscite, the result will be the opposite.

Nobody, regardless of the reason, can walk the streets of multi-cultural NYC with their faces covered. It has nothing to do with "Islamaphobia" or any other prejudice against certain groups...it's strictly a security measure. In fact, there have already been cases in other countries where male criminals escaped capture by posing as women in burkas, and the NYPD will never countenance that kind of crap here.

Another supposedly free western country over run by the "Islamic Tide". The Christian MP was right nevertheless

Few issues with Burqa (viel): 1) Western countries want freedom for all, except Muslim women who have to move like salves covering their faces. 2) Muslims population is growing rapidly. With Western countries policy of one vote for one person, some countries may have Muslim population become majority in few decades. What if the Muslims vote that all women have to wear Burqa. Will you let women in your family wear a Burqa? 3) Muslim countries have their own rules. Why can the western countries not have their own rules? If you do not implement today, it will become more difficult in the future 4) If Muslim women get used to not wearing Burqa now, they will get used to the freedom, and refuse to wear it in future!

We cannot have governments telling people that they can't wear traditional religious dress. Doesn't matter if its a jew with a kippa, a seek wearing a turban or a muslim woman with a burqa its not states business. The state should make it clear that the husband does not have the right to force his wife to wear the burqa Its her choice on if she wants to wear it or not but the state shouldn't but in. This isn't an issue about muslim women its about freedom of expression and freedom of religion both areas where the state shouldn't get involved.

IF THE MUSLIMS CAN LEGALLY WEAR BURQA'S IN AUSTRALIA SO WHY CAN'T THE FEMALE MEMBERS OF THE SPG WEAR BURQAS TO HIDE THEIR IDENTITIES.

The attempt to ban Muslim women from wearing the hijab or burqa has nothing to do with women’s liberation or secularism. Instead it has everything to do with racism and Islamophobia. The "veil" is not the source of women's oppression and the ban will only result isolating many Muslim women even more, not "liberating" them. As prominent Egyptian feminist, Nawal el Saadawi (who is an atheist) notes it is up to Muslim women to lead their own struggle for their liberation against oppressive forces, whether it be imperialist oppression or patriarchal, class oppression or religious oppression and what clothes they may choose or not choose to wear is irrelevant (ie. how "empowering" is it if Muslim women are treated as helpless idiots who can't decide for themselves and who are treated or are incapable of leading their own struggle against any oppression they face as a woman). The liberation of Muslim women, like the liberation of ALL women throughout the world (including Jewish, Christian and secular women) comes as a result of the women organising as part of politically conscious women's liberation movements, which define for themselves their own goals an objectives, rather than having them forced on them in a paternalistic and patriachial way.

Opps, a correction to a typing and editing mistake: in my previous post - it should have read, "how 'empowering' is it if Muslim women are treated as helpless idiots who can't decide for themselves and who are treated [as if they are] incapable of leading their own struggle against any oppression they face as a woman.

nobody can run around here masked, you will be stopped by police quickly. might be different in australia...

i disagree with you. for security reasons- a face must be exposed....it has nothing to do with Islam. That is their choice if they want to live in western nations.