Abortion Bill set to be voted on in state parliament
THE fate of Labor’s abortion decriminalisation Bill could be known today following an emotional debate on the floor of State Parliament yesterday.
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THE fate of Labor’s abortion decriminalisation Bill could be known today following an emotional debate on the floor of State Parliament yesterday.
The vote is expected to be tight with at least one Labor MP likely to use their conscience vote to oppose the Palaszczuk Government’s Bill and numerous LNP MPs indicating they will oppose the changes.
DEBATE ON ABORTION DECRIMINALISATION IN STATE PARLIAMENT
They include LNP leader Deb Frecklington, deputy leader Tim Mander and frontbencher David Janetzki.
Mr Janetzki was one of several LNP MPs to remind the House of the position of the LNP membership that abortion laws remain unchanged.
Others, like Labor’s Linus Power and the LNP’s Jann Stuckey, yesterday stopped short of revealing how they would vote in the final stages of the Bill.
Some, like the LNP’s Ted Sorensen, were reduced to tears: “Every baby has a right to live, whether it’s 20 weeks, whether it’s 22 weeks,” Mr Sorensen, who was fostered out at 13 months of age, said between tears. “There’s a real baby there – I was one of them.”
Labor’s Nikki Boyd also became emotional as she revealed she had suffered a miscarriage.
“I can assure those few on the other side of this debate that the foul vitriol that has been sent to my office has done nothing but strengthened my resolve to create a better environment for all Queensland women,” she said.
LNP MP Mark McArdle will move amendments including reducing the gestational period in which an abortion can be procured on request from 22 weeks to 16 weeks.
Health Minister Steven Miles yesterday slapped down the amendments as he implored MPs to support the changes, insisting the 22-week limit – recommended by the Queensland Law Reform Commission – was based on sound advice.
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