Lambie reignites burqa ban debate

Crossbench senator Jacqui Lambie has introduced legislation banning muslim women from wearing the burqa in public.

Senator Lambie insists full face coverings make Australians fearful and the right to feel safe must outweigh the right for expression of religious freedom.

She says a nationwide ban on all identity-concealing garments is needed for national security reasons, unless the wearer has a reasonable and lawful excuse.

"While some small groups of people may make an argument that their right to express their religious feelings or views by wearing identity concealing garments is being limited, the security and the safety of the community must always come first," she told parliament.

The private senators' bill, introduced in the Senate on Wednesday, links the ban to the national terrorism threat level, kicking in when the terror threat reaches `probable'.

Given the threat level is already at `probable', it would kick in immediately.

"Gone are the easy days of the past where we knew and trusted our neighbours and left our backdoors unlocked," she said.

"The threat from organised crime and terrorism is real."

The bill bans people from wearing full face coverings in commonwealth jurisdictions such as airports, as well as the ACT and Northern Territory.

It also makes it illegal to force another person or child to wear a full face covering.

Forcing another person to wear a burqa would result in six months' jail while forcing a child to wear one would attract 12 months' jail.

Ex-coalition senator Cory Bernardi, who quit the Liberal Party on Tuesday to become a conservative crossbencher, has backed the call to ban the burqa, labelling it a security issue.

"The burqa is the flag of fundamentalist Islam and it's really not compatible with our values," he told 2GB radio.

He says he's been approached by muslim women, scared to speak out, urging him to keep up the fight against the burqa.