Jacqui Lambie says the burqa must be banned from the nation's streets so Muslim women's "body language" can be identified.

The outspoken Palmer United senator, who claims Islamic law "involves terrorism", went head-to-head with Maha Abdo from the Muslim Women's Association on Channel Seven's breakfast television show Sunrise. During the exchange the senator was at times unable to answer questions, citing hearing difficulties.

Senator Lambie told Ms Abdo that she wanted the burqa banned because it was important to know if it was a man or a woman underneath the garment.

"We need to be able to identify people that are walking on the streets," Senator Lambie told the Seven Network.

Ms Abdo repeatedly questioned the PUP senator as to how the facial covering was a risk.

"Because what I believe is we must be able to tell the body language and we can do that by the face," Senator Lambie responded.

Ms Abdo said Muslim women will lift their veils for identification purposes and asked Senator Lambie "so how is that going to be a threat?"

After a long pause Ms Abdo said "that's a question to you [Senator Lambie]" - to which a confused Senator Lambie replied, "sorry, I can't, sorry I couldn't hear properly".

Senator Lambie said: "I'd like to see the ladies' faces, I cannot see who's under that clothing, I can't tell if that's a woman or a man."

"You have beautiful faces and it would be nice to be able see them but it still comes back to a national security issue," she insisted.

"Explain to me how is that a national issue, please?" replied Ms Abdo.

"Because we can't see your faces and I need to see who is under the clothing?" said Senator Lambie. Ms Abdo was seen visibly laughing at the senator's response.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has defended the rights of Muslims to wear the burqa, saying Australians fight for a kind of society where all types of religions and clothing are accepted.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott on Wednesday called the burqa "confronting". He said he wished that the burqa wasn't worn at all but said it was the choice of women to do so.

"Now I've said before I find it a fairly confronting form of attire and frankly I wish it weren't worn," he said.

"We are free country, we are a free society and it's not the business of government to tell people what they should and shouldn't wear,"

He also appeared to back calls for the burqa to be banned from being worn in Parliament House.

Parliament's Speaker and Senate President are awaiting on security advice before deciding whether or not to ban the burqa in Parliament following a request by Liberal senator Cory Bernardi who has long advocated a nation-wide ban.

Ms Bishop said on Thursday that people must identify themselves coming into Parliament House and labelled it "a security issue". She added she would leave it to the "experts to determine".

"I'm not confronted by clothing, Australia is a very open and free and tolerant society and we don't discriminate on the basis of religious or cultural clothing, people are free to wear what they like, some may be offended by it, some may be confronted by it but in Australia we have a choice, and that's that kind of choice and society we fight to defend," the Foreign Minister said.

Ms Bishop's frontbench colleague Kevin Andrews, however, described the burqa as "medieval".

"I personally find the burqa rather medieval. I think it is demeaning to women," the Social Services Minister said on Thursday.

But he said he did not support a ban on the burqa because people should have a right to choose what they wear. Security arrangements in buildings such as Parliament House are a matter for experts, he said.

Asked about Mr Abbott's comments in which he appeared to support a ban on the headwear being worn inside Parliament, NSW Premier Mike Baird ruled out introducing any ban on Islamic veils in the NSW Parliament.

"From my point of view, it's not something that I would entertain in any way," Mr Baird told Fairfax radio 2UE on Thursday.

When pressed to answer questions whether Mr Abbott's comments were divisive, Mr Baird declined to answer, saying "The Prime Minister didn't think governments should tell people what they should be wearing."

Mr Abbott on Thursday morning repeatedly refused to answer any further questions on the burqa at a media conference in Melbourne.

"I did have a bit to say on this subject yesterday, I gave a series of very complete answers and I don't propose to say anything about it today," the Prime Minister said.

The Prime Minister said "I know that this is the subject of enormous fascination to some people in the media", but added "it's hardly the most important issue facing our country right now".

with Matthew Knott

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