Sydney - Women wearing burkas will have to sit behind glass-enclosed panels if they visit Australia's parliament house, it was announced on Thursday.
The Speaker of the House, Bronwyn Bishop, told parliament of new rules governing people with facial coverings who come to see parliament at work and sit in the public galleries.
“Persons with facial coverings entering the galleries of the House of Representatives and Senate will be seated in the enclosed galleries,” Bishop announced.
“This will ensure that persons with facial coverings can continue to enter the chamber galleries without needing to be identifiable.”
No burka-wearing woman has ever entered the galleries, but if they do they will have to sit in a glass-enclosed area where attendants normally put unruly schoolchildren.
Senate President Stephen Parry said the measure was needed, because if someone with a face covering shouted something from the gallery it would be impossible to tell who had interjected so that they could be removed.
Greens leader Christine Milne said the rule was “appalling”.
“They will be relegated to an area of the parliament which is usually reserved for schoolchildren - behind glass, where parliamentarians don't have to see or hear them,” Milne told reporters outside parliament.
The move comes after several government and independent parliamentarians called for the banning of the burka and Prime Minister Tony Abbott said he found the clothing “confronting”.
Race Discrimination Commissioner Tim Soutphommasane criticised the new rules, tweeting nobody should be treated like a second-class citizen, especially in their own parliament. He has voiced concerns the debate over the burka will incite attacks on Muslims. - Sapa-dpa