LNP candidate revealed as hard line abortion protester

An LNP candidate who has rallied against abortion with the word “life” written on tape over her mouth says she respects David Crisafulli’s promise not to change existing laws.

LNP candidate for Springwood Susanna Damianopoulos. Picture: Liam Kidston

An LNP candidate who has previously expressed hard line views on abortion says she respects Opposition Leader David Crisafulli’s promise not to make changes to existing laws in the first term of government.

But the LNP’s Springwood candidate Susanna Damianopoulos, who has written about protesting outside parliament with the word “Life” written on tape over her mouth, signalled she still held anti-abortion views.

Opposition Leader David Crisafulli has repeatedly indicated he will make no changes to Queensland’s abortion laws in his first term of government.

The promise has not stopped the Miles government from using the LNP’s past record on abortion as proof the Opposition proved a risk to women’s body autonomy if elected to government after October 26.

Online records show Ms Damianopoulos, a small-business owner who has previously worked in Bowman MP Henry Pike’s office, had lobbied and protested against abortion in Queensland as far back as 2008.

This includes posts on a now-defunct website called “The Cause Australia”, which listed its mission and mandate as a “nationwide prayer push to ignite a Jesus revolution by sustained prayer and fasting, acts of justice and radical evangelism/massive revival”.

Ms Damianopoulos, in posts on the website in late 2008 and early 2009, spoke of protesting against a push by some Labor MPs at the time to decriminalise abortion at the time.

“We have been praying that God would stop the proposed new abortions laws in Queensland for the last 6 months standing outside parliament house with LIFE tape over our mouths!” she said.

And in another post title “our normality vs his reality” Ms Damianopoulos wrote of how standing outside parliament with “LIFE tape” across her mouth made her realise being a “voice for the voiceless” was what she was “born for”.

“Justice and Righteousness are the foundation of the throne of God,” she wrote.

During public consultation on landmark laws to give women in Queensland access to abortion, Ms Damianopoulos wrote “I vote no to abortion”.

Ms Damianopoulos, speaking at a press conference alongside Mr Crisafulli on Thursday, said she had “my own views but I respect the view of others”.

“That’s not my focus at the moment, my focus is what the community is telling me, and that’s issues around crime, cost of living health and housing,” she said.

“I believe that our leader David Crisafulli has been very clear on what the first term LNP government will do in that space and I respect that.”

Health Minister and Minister for Women Shannon Fentiman said despite “supposedly” now supporting the state’s abortion access laws, Mr Crisafulli was “doing a good job of building his party room with more anti-abortion members”.

“David Crisafulli needs to immediately come out and rule out ever restricting safe abortion services for Queensland women, because under the Miles Labor Government we will always protect these rights,” she said.