Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has defended a Liberal candidate who spoke against women wearing the burqa and says he finds the headwear confronting.
"It is not the sort of attire I would like to see widespread in our streets. But this is a free country, everyone's entitled to make their choice and if people want to wear a burqa, ultimately it is their business," Mr Abbott told reporters in Rockhampton on Saturday.
He was responding to a question about former high-ranking policeman Ray King who is challenging Treasurer Chris Bowen for the Sydney seat of McMahon and has faced criticism for his comments suggesting the burqa is a sign of oppression.
But Mr Abbott said Mr King was a good candidate and has been a "great servant" to the people of NSW throughout his policing career.
"Ray King's comments were more to do with policing and how you deal with people in policing situations given their attire," Mr Abbott told reporters in Rockhampton on Saturday.
The opposition leader said he stood by his past opinion about the traditional Muslim headdress, that it is "very confronting".
Mr Bowen has criticised his challenger's views in the countdown to the September 7 poll which will decide the future MP for his largely ethnic electorate with a large Muslim population in Sydney's outer west.
The presence of disgraced former cop Roger Rogerson at Mr King's campaign launch was also frowned upon by Mr Bowen.
Roger Rogerson isn't welcome at my campaign functions and if he's welcome at Ray King's, that's a matter for him to explain," Mr Bowen has said.
Rogerson was chucked out of the NSW police in 1986 and subsequently convicted for perverting the course of justice.
Mr King has previously said he had no links to Rogerson.
