Extract from ABC News
Updated
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."
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.
"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.It is understood the interim security measures were partially in response to a rumour about burka-clad protesters. The protest did not eventuate.
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."
Senator Parry is likely to be grilled about the interim decision in Senate estimates this morning.
The Speaker and the Senate President did not respond to AM's requests for comment.
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