Sydney mosque body condemns One Nation’s proposed school face-covering ban
One Nation has announced a proposal to ban burqas, niqabs and other full-face coverings in schools across Australia, including Islamic and private institutions, arguing that teachers and students need to see each other's faces for identification and safety purposes. The Lebanese Muslim Association (LMA), which operates Australia's largest mosque in Lakemba, Sydney, has strongly condemned the policy as political targeting rather than a response to genuine educational concerns.
The LMA questioned the practical basis for the ban, asking how many students actually wear full-face coverings and whether teachers have complained they cannot teach without seeing students' faces. The association argues that schools can manage identity verification and safety through existing procedures without a government-mandated ban, noting that only a minority of Muslim Australian students wear full-face coverings. Party leader Pauline Hanson recently visited the Islamic College of Brisbane to discuss the issue, raising concerns about women being pressured to wear coverings, whilst One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce noted that full-face coverings are banned in some countries and are not mandated by Islamic scripture.
- One Nation proposes banning burqas and niqabs in schools.
- The Lebanese Muslim Association condemned it as political targeting.
- The ban would not apply to hijabs; proponents cite education and safety.
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One Nation, an Australian political party, has proposed banning burqas, niqabs and other full-face coverings in schools across Australia. The party argues that these coverings prevent teachers and students from identifying each other, which it says raises safety and classroom management concerns.
Some Muslim women wear full-face coverings as part of their religious practice, and a small minority of Muslim students in Australian schools choose to do so. The proposal has sparked debate about how to balance religious freedom and cultural identity with school safety and security.
The Lebanese Muslim Association, which operates Australia's largest mosque in Sydney, has rejected the proposal, questioning whether there is genuine evidence of problems in schools. The association argues that existing school procedures can manage identification and safety without banning religious clothing.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Sydney mosque launches fierce attack on Pauline Hanson over plan to ban burqas in schools: ‘Our children should be off-limits’”.