Queensland abortion law reform: Labor bid to avert failure
UPDATE: Independent MP Rob Pyne has announced he will withdraw his abortion reform bills with the issue to instead be referred to the Queensland Law Reform Commission.
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INDEPENDENT MP Rob Pyne has announced he will withdraw his abortion reform bills with the issue to instead be referred to the Queensland Law Reform Commission.
The laws were due to be debated tomorrow.
Instead, the reforms will now not be considered until the next term if government if Labor wins the election.
“They (the Bills) will be withdrawn and that’s as a result of the undertaking the government has given to refer this to the law reform commission,” Mr Pyne said.
“It’s very disappointing that the LNP could not participate more fully in this debate.
“If this independent avenue of the law reform commission is what it takes to get some MPs across the line then lets do it.
“A woman’s right to choose must be something that we should respect and I hope this legislative reform will deliver that.”
Deputy Premier Jackie Trad described the last-minute decision to refer it to the QLRC as a pragmatic approach.
“It’s clear that because the LNP has decided to vote on bloc and vote against modernising abortion laws in Queensland, both Bills that the Member for Cairns Rob Pyne has introduced will fail tomorrow night.
“We don’t want to see the reform lost.”
Mr Pyne denied his Bills were at fault.
OVERNIGHT: Labor has made a last-ditch attempt to avert failure in reforming Queensland’s abortion law in State Parliament this week.
The Courier-Mail understands Labor MPs have approached Rob Pyne with the option of deferring or withdrawing his Bills and instead have the matter referred to the Queensland Law Reform Commission.
It comes amid fears his two Bills, aimed at decriminalising abortion in Queensland, could fail before amendments suggested by the Australian Medical Association are able to be moved.
The LNP partyroom yesterday voted to reject the legislation.
Opposition Leader Tim Nicholls said in a statement that Opposition MPs had decided they could not support the Bills in their current form.
“The first Bill left the entire area of abortion unregulated and this was clearly untenable,” Mr Nicholls said.
“The second Bill attempts to correct the failures of the first Bill but falls well short.”
Mr Pyne needs the support of several Liberal National MPs in order for the Bills to survive tomorrow night’s debate, with several Labor MPs also expected to vote against the decriminalisation push.
Mr Pyne was understood to be considering Labor’s request last night but had asked for a written guarantee of action on the reforms once the QLRC has considered them.
He said he would announce his decision today but wanted to ensure Parliament has its say on the issue.
“I’m hopeful that we can move the Bills forward. It’s been well over 100 years and it is time this was voted on in the Parliament,” said the Member for Cairns MP, who defected from Labor to the cross bench last year.
“There is a view some have that to do so, and to lose the vote would somehow set us backwards.
“I don’t see the reasoning of that.
“I think it’s time the people in Parliament were held to account. They are paid a lot of money to represent the people.
“I have been open on my view and ditto (LNP MP and anti-abortion campaigner) Mark Robinson.
“Let’s let other MPs say where they stand on this issue.”
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