Leaders at Australia’s largest mosque in Sydney have criticized Pauline Hanson's One Nation party for proposing a ban on burqas, niqabs, and other full-face coverings in schools. The Lebanese Muslim Association (LMA) argues that the policy unfairly targets Muslim students, pointing out that only a minority of Muslim girls wear such attire. Meanwhile, One Nation defends the proposal by arguing it ensures teachers can see their students’ faces for safety reasons, aligning with bans already implemented in other countries and supported by some women's rights advocates.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-07,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Leaders at a high-profile Sydney mosque have accused Pauline Hanson of using Muslim students as political targets after One Nation announced a policy to ban burqas in schools.
asserted
Nation → accuse → schools
One Nation said this week it would prohibit pupils from wearing the garments, which cover the head and body, as well as niqabs and other full-face coverings.
asserted
which → say → head
The ban would apply to all schools, including Islamic and private institutions.
asserted
ban → apply → institutions
One Nation said teachers should be able to see the faces of their students, and the children should be able to see their classmates' faces.
asserted
children → say → faces
But the Lebanese Muslim Association (LMA), which owns Australia's largest mosque in Lakemba in Sydney's south-west, slammed the proposal.
asserted
which → own → proposal
It is another attempt to single out Muslims and turn a tiny minority into a political issue,' a statement on Tuesday said.
asserted
statement → single → Tuesday
'How many students actually wear the niqab?
asserted
students → wear → niqab
How many teachers have said that they cannot teach without it?
asserted
they → say → it
'Where is the problem that requires a national ban?'
The Lebanese Muslim Association has accused One Nation leader Pauline Hanson of using Muslim Australian students as political targets
Hanson is pictured speaking with Islamic College of Brisbane students.
asserted
Hanson → require → students
She wants to ban students from wearing burqas, niqabs and other full-face coverings in schools.
asserted
She → want → schools
The LMA added that schools can manage potential identification and safety issues without political intervention.
asserted
schools → add → intervention
'We do not need politicians policing the clothing of Muslim girls,' it added.
asserted
it → need → girls
'Pauline Hanson has spent decades putting Muslim-Australians at the centre of political controversy.
asserted
Hanson → spend → controversy
Our children should be off-limits.'
The association also said only a minority of Muslim students in Australia wear a full-face covering.
asserted
minority → say → covering
'Stop manufacturing problems where they do not exist,' the LMA said.
asserted
LMA → manufacture → problems
They belong here just as much as anyone else.
asserted
They → belong → anyone
'
The proposed school ban would not apply to hijab headscarves, according to One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce.
uncertain
ban → propose → Joyce
'We're talking about the burqa, we're not talking about the hijab,' he told News24.
asserted
he → talk → News24
Pauline Hanson and Barnaby Joyce noted that full-face coverings in public are already banned in a number of countries
'
asserted
coverings → note → countries
The burqa in many instances across the world is banned.
asserted
burqa → ban → world
In many Islamic countries, it is banned.
asserted
it → ban → countries
'It's certainly, I think, not conducive to what we should be having for children in school.'
asserted
we → think → school
Joyce added that many women's groups have also taken issue with the garments.
asserted
groups → add → garments
'There's nothing in the Quran which says you've got to wear a burqa, so don't even believe that we're imposing on people's religious freedoms on this,' he added.
asserted
he → be → this
Since the LMA issued its statement, One Nation has doubled down on the party's reasoning for the policy.
asserted
Nation → issue → policy
'The astonishing thing about the burqa and niqab is that it tends to be the left who are the most defensive over it, despite the fact it subjugates girls and women,' a social media post said.
asserted
post → tend → girls
'It is the ultimate symbol of the failed experiment in liberal multiculturalism.
asserted
It → fail → multiculturalism
It has no place in Australia.
asserted
It → have → Australia
Hanson recently visited the Islamic College of Brisbane, where she questioned female students about their decision to wear the niqab and asked whether it was their choice.
asserted
it → visit → niqab
'We are seeing so much radicalisation happening in this country,' she told the students.
asserted
she → see → students
Most of those attacks come from radical Islam in this country.
asserted
Most → come → country
Hanson acknowledged the students' explanation for wearing the niqab but raised concerns about women feeling pressured to wear religious coverings.
asserted
women → acknowledge → coverings
I acknowledge that and I accept that.
asserted
I → acknowledge → that
But a lot of women are forced to wear it when they don't want to,' she said.
asserted
she → force → it
The Aporia
