Queensland Premier David Crisafulli’s control over his backbench could be challenged when state Parliament returns this week, with crossbenchers attempting to put abortion back on the agenda after it derailed his 2024 election campaign. Source: The Australian.
Katter’s Australian Party state leader Robbie Katter will move a motion without notice on Tuesday aiming to overturn a ban on debate about abortion laws during this term of Parliament, instituted weeks after Mr Crisafulli’s Liberal National Party formed government.
The Traeger MP said his decision to act now followed the passage of federal hate laws, which divided the Coalition over concerns the legislation would restrict freedom of speech.
“We’ve just experienced a massive national debate over free speech and the right to be able to talk about things freely … and you would expect the same from what’s supposed to be the conservative side of politics in Queensland on a conservative issue,” Mr Katter said.
“It couldn’t be more offensive to the parliamentary process, the idea that you can just gag debate on an issue because it’s politically inconvenient.”
In December 2024, Mr Crisafulli won the support of his LNP partyroom to move a motion in parliament blocking MPs from introducing any legislation to change access to termination of pregnancy services in the state.
Mr Katter is highly unlikely to have the numbers, with some describing his plans as a “stunt” to force the issue back onto the state political agenda.
The crossbencher’s declaration ahead of the October 2024 election that he would immediately introduce legislation to overhaul Queensland’s abortion laws derailed Mr Crisafulli’s campaign, and put the focus on many LNP MPs and candidates with pro-life views.
A Government spokesman on Friday said the LNP was focused on introducing new hate speech and firearms laws to keep “guns out of the hands of criminals and terrorists”.
Opposition Leader Steven Miles said Labor would support the motion. “Queensland Labor disagrees with the Katters’ position on a woman’s right to choose, but we do agree that we should be able to debate it,” Mr Miles said.
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Queensland abortion debate ban faces challenge as crossbencher forces new vote (By Mackenzie Scott and Sarah Elks, The Australian)
