A second Queensland Liberal Nationwide get together MP has foreshadowed the prospect of winding again the state’s abortion reforms after the election, amid new requires the get together to make clear its “vague” place.
On Tuesday, Queensland crossbencher Robbie Katter mentioned he would introduce laws to wind again Labor’s termination-of-pregnancy legal guidelines, which decriminalised abortion and permit nurses to dispense medicine.
The LNP chief, David Crisafulli has repeatedly refused to say whether or not MPs can be given a conscience vote – a longstanding get together coverage – solely that “it’s not part of our plan, and there won’t be changes [to abortion laws]”.
The LNP has additionally not responded to requests by teams – together with pro-choice advocates and the Christian foyer – to clarify its place.
The Australian newspaper revealed this week that Scenic Rim MP Jon Krause informed a candidates’ discussion board that “we need to ensure that there are enough people in the parliament to be able to repeal those laws or to make significant amendments”.
Guardian Australia can reveal that one other MP, the retiring rightwinger Mark Robinson, informed a Christian podcast in August there “are no doubt corrections that will happen over time”.
Robinson mentioned the LNP’s core points – together with youth crime, the price of residing, housing and well being companies – had been “the big things the election will swing on” however in future adjustments may very well be made in step with the get together’s broader platform.
“I see our values are very firmly anchored in family values,” Robinson mentioned.
“And when I go to state council – and I cannot talk about the fine detail of some of that – our policies are very much a broad suite of family values.
“And so I think that, as we go forward, I think people would expect that whatever the future government faces, whatever comes up in that time, it would need to reference it back to what those family policies of the party and the general expectations of Queenslanders are. That’s how I think [changes to abortion laws] will be framed.
“I’m not aware of any agenda of repeal, I’m not aware of anything in that space, but I do think there are no doubt corrections that will happen over time.
“That’s a broad statement … I’m not a spokesperson for David Crisafulli.”
Robinson is vacating his seat of Oodgeroo, the place the LNP has preselected the figurehead of the get together’s Christian proper, Amanda Stoker.
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Katter’s assertion on Wednesday raised the stakes on the problem, after Labor started what was described as a “scare campaign” about what the LNP would possibly do if elected. The get together has preselected a number of candidates from the Christian proper of the get together, who’ve beforehand opposed abortion rights. Most LNP MPs voted in opposition to decriminalisation in 2018.
The prospect of throughout bench-led conscience vote undermines Crisafulli’s insistence the problem wouldn’t be revisited in the course of the time period.
The professional-choice advocacy group, Kids by Selection, mentioned candidates should publicly decide to not repealing or altering the legal guidelines.
The group’s chief government officer, Jill McKay, mentioned the prospect of a crossbench invoice was “a wake-up call for Queenslanders”.
“We need to hear from the LNP, without ambiguity, that they will oppose any attempt to wind back abortion access in our state,” McKay mentioned.
“The LNP’s reluctance to address this issue head-on only adds to the uncertainty. Queenslanders deserve to know: will the LNP stand with women and pregnant people, or will they remain silent and allow figures like Robbie Katter to roll back our healthcare rights?
“If the LNP cannot explicitly commit to supporting abortion access, we have no choice but to assume the worst.”
