Jonathan O’Dea defends his support of face cover bans including burqas, niqabs and motorbike helmets

DAVIDSON state Liberal MP Jonathan O’Dea has defended his call for a ban on face coverings in public spaces, saying it’s time Australia has a “mature discuss­ion” about the issue.

A woman under her burqa walking down a street in the old city of Kabul. Picture: AFP.

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DAVIDSON state Liberal MP Jonathan O’Dea has defended his call for a ban on face coverings in public spaces, saying it’s time Australia has a “mature discuss­ion” about the issue.

Mr O’Dea denied his support for a ban was racially or religiously motivated, saying he had never used the phrase “ban the burqa”.

However, he acknowledged “there is a correlation between a ban on face coverings and a certain religion” — Islam.

Jonathan O'Dea, State Liberal Davidson MP.

On Wednesday, Mr O’Dea called for a ban on face coverings, including burqas, niqabs, motorcycle helmets and balaclavas, and was criticised on social media.

Ian Beck wrote on the Manly Daily’s Facebook page: “You never hear from the bloke, then this. I live in his electorate and have never seen anyone locally in a burqa.

“How about you stick to local issues like transport and infrastructure? Seen some bad polling, has he?”

Muslims make up 0.6 per cent of Davidson, according to the latest Census data.

“Firstly, as a NSW parliamentarian, you don’t just take a view about your own electorate,” Mr O’Dea said.

Tasmanian Senator Jacqui Lambie introduced a bill to the Senate to ban the Islamic burqa in public on Wednesday. Picture: AAP.

“It is an issue across NSW and Australia, and it is definitely on the political agenda. I saw the mainstream political parties seemed to be reluctant to engage on an issue that is already front and centre and I don’t think that is healthy.

“I think we should feel free to discuss this in an open and mature way.”

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Mr O’Dea said a similar ban in France was upheld by the European Court of Human Rights, and face coverings created social disconnect and hindered a “desire to live in a free and open society, where people can openly interact without undue inhibitions”.

“That is a norm in a culture, which I think in the current circumstances need to be addressed by lawmakers,” he said.

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