Knives out for LNP abortion vote rebels

THE three MPs who voted with their conscience to support abortion decriminalisation, against the wishes of the party hierarchy, are now in the gun sights of pro-life members and senior party officials, writes Sarah Vogler.

ONE of the last times Queensland’s conservative MPs exercised their conscience vote in State Parliament against party policy things did not end well.

In 2007 then president of the Nationals Bruce McIver had made his thoughts on laws to allow embryonic stem cell research very clear to Nationals MPs ahead of the vote.

Young LNP in Queensland votes to refuse endorsement for Tim Nicholls, Steve Minnikin and Jann Stuckey

LNP MPs to have conscience vote on Bill to legalise abortion

The Nationals leader at the time, Jeff Seeney, was among the MPs to defy McIver’s position. Just months later he lost the leadership to Lawrence Springborg.

And history is now repeating itself with the merged LNP party wing venting its fury at three MPs this week who voted with their conscience to support abortion decriminalisation against the wishes of the party hierarchy.

Furious pro-lifers want to end Tim Nicholls’ political career. Picture: AAP/John Gass

The fallout threatens to widen the divide between the party and its MPs, a relationship that’s always been tense but has recently been much better than in the past.

It could also imperil the party’s chances of holding two of its remaining three Brisbane seats.

Former Opposition leader Tim Nicholls, former Newman government minister Jann Stuckey and current Opposition frontbencher Steve Minnikin are now in the gun sights of pro-life members and senior party officials over their stance.

With retirement likely on the horizon, Ms Stuckey has escaped the brunt of the angst. But for Mr Nicholls – who also backed the stem cell research Bill 11 years ago – and Mr Minnikin, it is a very different story with a push now on for their political careers to be cut short.

Jann Stuckey has avoided much of the fallout because she’s likely to retire. Picture: AAP/John Gass

The party’s State Council meeting is just four weeks away which is not long enough for the anger among pro-life members and officials to subside.

Many in the party did not expect the trio to vote the way they did. They had an inkling. And with a conscience vote being afforded to them, the MPs were within their rights to do so. But many believed they would just fall into line given party policy is for abortion to remain in the criminal code.

LNP President Gary Spence had warned the party room weeks earlier that MPs could be putting their political futures at risk if they backed the Bill.

The LNP’s Pine Rivers branch came up with its own motion to disendorse any backers, which was emailed to LNP MPs ahead of the vote.

Those words did not sway the trio.

Steve Minnikin is the third member of trio that voted with their conscience against LNP party policy. Picture: AAP/Sarah Marshall

That motion has been ruled out of order but another to block the trio from running again will be put when the State Council meets in Bundaberg over the weekend of November 17 and 18.

The backers believe the potential loss of seats at the next poll is not a good enough reason to save the MPs.

LNP Leader Deb Frecklington opposed the Bill but has not completely escaped ­internal criticism either. Pro-life members are annoyed she could not stop the trio from supporting it.

One was so infuriated they declared this could be the beginning of the end for Ms Frecklington’s leadership.

This is not, however, a feeling held among the LNP MPs who have the ultimate say on who their leader is.

She has reiterated her disappointment at the passing of the Bill in a newsletter to members on Friday which included her speech against it.

Deputy Opposition Leader Tim Mander has admonished those baying for blood, describing the calls for retribution as “totally inappropriate”. He has asked for everyone to “take a deep breath”.

Whether it’s enough to quench the thirst for retribution will be known next month.