First up tonight, the justified fury of a woman scorned.

It all started with a piece in Fairfax Media's online opinion portal, The National Times...

For Australia's sake, we need to ban the burqa — The National Times, SMH online, 6th May, 2010

Read the full article published in The National Times

The author was Liberal Senator Cory Bernardi.

He's worried about security, because:

In Sydney this morning a man was robbed by a burqa wearing bandit... — The National Times, SMH online, 6th May, 2010

and in any case, argues the Senator, the full-face Muslim veil...

...is un-Australian. To me, the burqa represents the repressive domination of men over women, which has no place in our society. — The National Times, SMH online, 6th May, 2010

Plenty of people agree with Senator Bernardi - including most of the callers to 3AW's Sunday Mornings program, and one of its two regular panelists, John Michael Howson...

John Michael Howson: It is un-Australian. It is un-Australian! It is un-Australian! Caller: Oh my God... — Radio 3AW, Sunday Mornings, 9th May, 2010

Howson was generally supported by the program's presenter, Darren James.

But the other panel member, Nick McCallum, argued that...

Nick McCallum: It's un-Australian to dictate to people what they wear and what they must think... and that is what you're trying to do. — Radio 3AW, Sunday Mornings, 9th May, 2010

The debate lasted for over an hour, and frequently became heated.

John Michael Howson: What about if all these women have daughters and they all want to wear the bloody burka, they'll all be covered all over the city. There'll be hundreds of them. Nick McCallum: John Michael, if for a start we're talking about a very small minority of a population. Second part of it is well, is if you actually speak to Muslims, I know you don't do that, but if you do actually speak... John Michael Howson: No I don't want to frankly I have no need to. — Radio 3AW, Sunday Mornings, 9th May, 2010

Now as it happens, soon after that, 3AW called a Muslim woman it had asked the day before to contribute to the debate.

Sherene Hassan, the Vice-President of the Islamic Council of Victoria, tells Media Watch:

I was quite reluctant to accept, as it meant my Mothers day plans were compromised but I still agreed. — Email from Sherene Hassan (Vice-President, the Islamic Council of Victoria) to Media Watch, 12th May, 2010

So at 10.30 that morning Ms Hassan was called by 3AW, and put on hold. She listened while Sunday Mornings took a cavalcade of calls. Almost all were in favour of banning the burka, which is fair enough.

But many took the chance to sound off against Muslims in general, which isn't so fair at all...

Caller Joe: In the UK they started off they wanted their mosques and everything and they got 'em. The next thing they wanted Sharia law. Now they're fighting to get self rule. And that's what will happen here. — Radio 3AW, Sunday Mornings, 9th May, 2010

Shortly after that call, says Ms Hassan...

...the producer from 3AW asked "do you still want to go ahead with the interview, we are worried it might get nasty?" I replied "no that's fine I am quite capable of handling it" and they put me on hold again. — Email from Sherene Hassan (Vice-President, the Islamic Council of Victoria) to Media Watch, 12th May, 2010

So Sherene Hassan had the pleasure of hearing more talkback, including caller Jenny:

Caller Jenny: If you say we have freedom of speech we can't even tell each other we're racist, that becomes illegal... I can't come out and say I really, really dislike and really hate Muslims. Nick McCallum: Well you just did. Caller Jenny: Well I just did. — Radio 3AW, Sunday Mornings, 9th May, 2010

But that freedom to voice her opinion wasn't to be extended to Sherene Hassan.

After waiting on hold for about twenty minutes, she says...

...the 3AW producer said "actually John Michael is refusing to speak to you and does not want you on air." — Email from Sherene Hassan (Vice-President, the Islamic Council of Victoria) to Media Watch, 12th May, 2010

And that was the end of that.

A few minutes later, a bloke called Hassan - no relation, we're assured - called 3AW...

Caller Hassan: I think we need first to have... Muslim perspective side of this story... Nick McCallum: Well Hassan we did, try. Sorry, Hassan we did actually try and have someone on, but John Michael? John Michael Howson: Well it was another propagandist coming on. We know what we're going to get... I'll tell you what it is Nick. They are well skilled propagandists who come on at a moment's notice with their rote and we'll get the same thing. Nick McCallum: But she's stating a point of view that is a different point of view to yours. John Michael Howson: No she's stating a point of view that will be exactly what we know it will be. — Radio 3AW, Sunday Mornings, 9th May, 2010

John Michael Howson made the point that the burka oppresses women.

But Sherene Hassan - who'd been invited to take part, and incidentally doesn't wear a burka - told us...

In my 40 years as a Muslim woman, I have never felt so oppressed. — Email from Sherene Hassan (Vice-President, the Islamic Council of Victoria) to Media Watch, 12th May, 2010

We asked 3AW whether panelists were normally allowed to censor invited guests.

Program director Clark Forbes ducked the question...

...we made an on the spot decision not to put her call to air because the two presenters themselves were engaged in a vigorous debate in which they were expressing strongly opposing views. — Email from Clark Forbes (Program Director, 3AW) to Media Watch, 14th May, 2010

Read 3AW's response to Media Watch's questions

No you didn't, Clark. You decided not to put her on air because one of your three presenters point blank refused to talk to her.

Seems downright, well, un-Australian to me.