NEW BURQA, NIQAB ID LAWS

[Winged Isis]

NEW BURQA, NIQAB ID LAWS UNVEILED IN NSW
AAP
March 5, 2012, 9:14 am

Muslim women will be required to remove face veils as part of new identity check laws in NSW.

From April 30, anyone who asks a justice of the peace (JP) or lawyer to witness statutory declarations or affidavits will have to remove all head coverings including motorcycle helmets and masks to prove who they are.

The change follows the case of Sydney mum of seven, Carnita Matthews, who was jailed in 2010 for falsely accusing a policeman of trying to remove her niqab during a traffic stop.

Her conviction was overturned on appeal after prosecutors failed to prove it was Ms Matthews who filed the complaint against the police officer - because the person was wearing a face veil.

It led politicians to try to clarify the law surrounding identity checks and head coverings.

NSW Attorney-General Greg Smith said JPs and lawyers will in future be required to see the face of anyone making statutory declarations or affidavits and to confirm their identity.

"In some situations it means individuals wearing full and partial face-covering garments will need to reveal their face for the purpose of identification," Mr Smith said in a statement on Monday.

"If a person is wearing a face covering, an authorised witness should politely and respectfully ask them to show their face."

The NSW government announced in August that police would get powers to force motorists to remove head coverings to confirm identity.

Drivers who refuse to do so face fines of up to AU$5500.

JPs and lawyers who fail to comply with the identity laws announced on Monday face fines of up to AU$220.

[LovelyLadyLux]

Can't say that I disagree with this at all. Personally I think it is common sense. Anybody can wear anything anywhere so long as all safety and security can be maintained. This can't be done if you cover up be it a motorcycle helmet, big floppy hat or niquab. If I can't confirm who you are then I can't do business with you nor can I trust you. Historically we only covered up, wore war masks, camouflaged when we were sneaking about the trees, rocks and other environs making war. There is no need for men to cover up so how can it be normative for women? I believe if needed all face covering must be removed and I cannot for a second believe that showing your face for a professional situation would be bad, sinful, shameful blah blah blah. If all you are doing is walking about the streets, walking in the park and have no intention of making a purchase, completing a bank transaction etc then cover up and wear what you want BUT if you're entering public buildings I believe you need to 'show' enough that everybodies safety can be assured.

[Horus]

If a Ku Klux Klan member decided to walk around in his head covering, what would be the average persons reaction? Granted they are different colours and designs, but essentially both cover the face and are worn for religious reasons, so I wondered where do we draw the line on tollerance? In both cases there is no valid reason to wear such a garment in public, one claims to be a Christian association and uses a burning cross and the other is worn as a fashion or political statement rather than a religious one by most women of education and as a symbol of represion by the uneducated ones. It is not a requirement of their chosen faith and not required according to the Koran, by the same token I cannot remember reading anywhere in the bible that God wanted men to wear hoods either. I suspect that I am not alone in thinking that in both cases each group is trying to tell me that in some way they are more godley than myself, which of course may be true.

[Grandad]

WI's post prompted me to see where the new NSW ruling has come from. It would appear to have been a subject of debate for some time and I quite liked this piece by Rory Bernardi in ABC's The Drum in May 2010
http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/33978.html

Typical Aussie outspokenness but I like his style. What happened to the old adage "When in Rome do as the Romans do"

Personally I don't think there is any place for the Burqa or Niqab in western society. To produce a degree of modesty I believe that the Hijab is quite adequate whilst satisfying the needs of facial identity. Worn, if desired, with an Abaya or Jilbab this would be an acceptable compromise.

I would question if the NSW law is going far enough if exposure of the face is only required when involved in some official situation where identification is required. It does nothing about men posing as women for the purpose of committing a crime.

[Horus]

New arrivals to this country should not come here to recreate the living environment they have just left. They should come here for a better life based on the freedoms and values that have built our great nation.

Says it all really

[LovelyLadyLux]

One thing I do know about this topic is that it would be debated and argued to death in Canada before a sensible ruling ever came out. I LOVE and ADMIRE Australia for the position it has taken on these matters. IF the Koran stated anywhere - clear or otherwise - that covering up your face brought you closer to God then I could possibly justify it. I can even easily justify wearing a Niquab if you're walking about the Sahara and the sand is blowing in your face and you're trying to protect your skin.

Nuns are considered women of faith. There are some who still wear the traditional habit but no way does this modest attire cover the face.

You raise an interesting point about the KKK too H. Am more than certain if one put the white sheets on here it would raise holy hell with the public but we're supposed to be ok with women (if they ARE women) wearing niquab.

One of my Egyptian friends explained it to me that women who opt to wear Niquab are doing so of their own volition. They are essentially saying to society that I am so good/pure/chaste/moral/virginal etc that ONLY my husband and Allah is worthy to see me. This wasn't a big discussion but the point being made was that wearing Niquab is basically the woman's own choice and most women wore it to announce their purity to the world. My friend's explanation didn't include too much re: religion or religioius reasons for wearing niquab.