Nationals vote no to burqa ban
THE Nationals narrowly voted down a motion calling for a burqa ban to become part of the party’s platform.
Both Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce and Nationals deputy leader Fiona Nash voted against the motion yesterday at the party’s national conference in Canberra.
Queensland Nationals MP George Christensen’s motion had called for the burqa and niqab to be banned because it was “not conducive to the Australian way of life”.
“There clearly is a threat to public safety and security and (people) should be forced to take them off if they refuse,” Mr Christensen had said.
He was backed by former resources minister Matt Canavan and Assistant Health Minister David Gillespie.
Before the vote Mr Joyce said: “Have a discussion about security, have a discussion about issues, but just make sure you don’t wander off into the realm of discussing another person’s religion. What people believe and how they talk to their God is their business.”
Mr Christensen said he would not abandon his bid to have a burqa ban adopted as the party’s official position.
A burqa ban was thrust into the national spotlight after One Nation leader Pauline Hanson wore the traditional Islamic garment in the Senate last month.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and other senior government ministers labelled the move a stunt but the most recent YouGov poll shows 67 per cent of voters support a ban on the burqa.