MPs in cat and mouse games over LNP free vote on abortion reform

THE interjections were coming thick and fast in Queensland’s Legislative Chamber last week. In among the usual cries of “shame” there was a common theme, and it had nothing to do with what was on the agenda that week, writes Sarah Vogler.

THE interjections were coming thick and fast in Queensland’s Legislative Chamber last week as MPs faced off against each other for the 10th sitting this year.

In among the usual cries of “shame” there was a common theme in the barbs shooting from the Palaszczuk Government benches in the direction of the LNP.

It had nothing to do with what was on the agenda that week and everything to do with one of the most contentious issues to come before the House so far this term – abortion decriminalisation.

Specifically, the cat-and-mouse game the LNP and Labor are playing over whether LNP MPs will have a free vote or will vote en bloc.

Senior government ministers Kate Jones and Jackie Trad were the ones doing the firing.

“We do know that the only authority that the Leader of the Opposition has in her party room is to sign leave forms. She can sign leave forms, but she cannot grant them a conscience vote on abortion law reform,” Ms Jones declared in response to a Dorothy Dixer about the Gold Coast on Tuesday.

“The boys run the show,” Ms Trad interjected. “We know that Labor is the party for women. The same cannot be said for those opposite,” she told the House on Wednesday, again pointing to the lack of confirmation from the LNP over whether to have that conscience vote.

On Thursday they were armed with new ReachTEL polling commissioned by major Queensland union United Voice in Deputy Opposition Leader Tim Mander’s seat of Everton, former Opposition leader Tim Nicholls’ seat of Clayfield, and across the LNP stranglehold of the Gold Coast.

It asked voters if they considered themselves pro-life or pro-choice, and it found the majority considered themselves pro-choice.

The polling targeted those seats for a reason. It was not just to show that LNP voters in the southeast supported legalising abortion. It was also designed to put pressure on the LNP MPs in those areas – and the Opposition leadership – to guarantee a conscience vote on the Bill.

This time, even Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk spoke on the issue.

It is just another sign of the pressure not only mounting on the LNP to declare a conscience vote, but also the pressure mounting on Labor to ensure their laws don’t fail.

The LNP’s party policy is for current abortion laws to remain. And the party’s hierarchy has made it crystal clear to Opposition MPs that this remains the case.

But the LNP’s parliamentary wing can have a conscience vote on issues of life and death, if they wish.

Rather than come straight out of the blocks and declare such a conscience vote will be granted, Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington has instead decided to wait.

She will move a conscience vote motion in the party room after the parliamentary committee charged with inquiring into Labor’s Termination of Pregnancy Bill has handed down its report.

It means Labor will need to wait until just before the Bill is due to be debated to find out whether it can rely on any pro-choice MPs within the LNP’s party room to ensure the changes pass.

It may need the extra help. With at least two of its own MPs expected to either vote against the Bill or abstain, and four of the six-strong crossbench already declaring they will vote “no”, there is not a lot of wriggle room left.