Lana Slezic's misappropriated image of Kandahar police woman Malalai Kakar, shared on social media by Senator Jacqui Lambie on Thursday. The image has since been co-opted and used without permission by far right anti-immigration group Britain First, who have overlaid the image with the words: "For security reasons it's now time to ban the burqa." The image was then posted to the Britain First Facebook page on August 31 and has since been shared more than 40,000 times, including by Senator Lambie on Thursday. Britain First is a far right British nationalist political party and self-described "patriotic resistance" that professes to want "our people to come first, before foreigners, asylum-seekers or migrants". Ms Slezic says the misappropriation of the image is "an insult to [Ms Kakar's] family and her children and I'm appalled by the way it has been used". "She was a pinnacle of strength in Kandahar at a time that was extremely difficult for Afghan women. She was the first female police officer in Kandahar and stood for the rights of women," she said.

"All the women of Kandahar knew who she was and knew they could come to her with their problems." The image remains on the Palmer United Party Senator's Facebook page where it has attracted more than 300 comments. When asked whether the Senator would remove the post now the identity of the woman was known, a spokesperson confirmed Ms Lambie "absolutely stands by it" and "won't be taking it down". On Thursday, Senator Lambie expressed support for comments made by her parliamentary colleague Senator Cory Bernardi who tweeted that the burqa is a "shroud of oppression and flag of fundamentalism" and "not right" in Australia. "I agree wholeheartedly with Senator Cory Bernardi's comments - and call for an immediate and complete ban on the wearing of burqas in public," Ms Lambie said in a statement.

Senator Lambie's anti-burqa sentiments follow her inflammatory comments earlier in the week for supporters of sharia law to "get out" of Australia. "Anyone who supports sharia law in Australia should not have the right to vote, should not be given government handouts and should probably pack up their bags and get out of here," Ms Lambie said. As revealed by Fairfax Media on Wednesday, PUP leader Clive Palmer quietly hosed down Ms Lambie's comments, assuring Muslim leaders that her views were not official party policy. Mr Bernardi's colleagues have also distanced themselves from his comments. On Friday, Mr Abbott renewed his call for social unity.

"I certainly don't want to isolate any community. I want to wrap up the extended family of the Australian nation in an embrace. "That's what I want to do because we are all in this together and frankly we would all be the victims of any terrorist attack here in Australia and that's why it's so absolutely important that we do whatever we can to prevent it from happening," he said. Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has asked Mr Abbott to rebuke Senator Bernardi over the comments, but the Prime Minister has not yet said if the backbencher would be disciplined. Loading Attorney-General George Brandis responded to Senator Bernardi's comments on Friday, saying he had long held his views on the burqa and although it was not the government's position, he would not be asked to keep those views to himself.

"Senator Bernardi is a member of Parliament, he has views and like all members of Parliament he's entitled to express his views, but his views are not the views of the government," he told the ABC.