Nick Dametto slams LNP for not stating position on abortion ahead of state election

The Katters say they have made their stance clear on abortion laws, calling on David Crisafulli to do the same after the Opposition leader refused to answer questions.

KAP candidate for Mundingburra Michael Pugh with deputy leader Nick Dametto and candidate for Burdekin Daniel Carroll at Reid Park in Townsville, as the KAP committed to securing the $10 million in funding for DriveIT NQ.

Calling out David Crisafulli and the LNP, the KAP have said they have made their stance on abortion laws clear and called on the Opposition leader to do the same.

Speaking in Townsville on Thursday, KAP deputy leader Nick Dametto said following Robbie Katter’s announcement that the party would introduce laws to repeal or amend abortion laws, it was time the LNP put their stance on record.

“I think the issue right now is you’ve found an Achilles’ heel to David Crisafulli and the LNP; they do not want to discuss this,” Mr Dametto said.

“The state as it is in play right now, the media plays a very important role in asking the important questions. This is just one column that David doesn’t want to talk about right now.”

Laws preventing abortion in Queensland were scrapped in 2018, following a conscience vote in parliament that legalised abortion, on request, up to 22 weeks’ into a fetus’ gestation.

“This is a time where we should be asking all political parties their stance on this and once again the KAP has a record of where we have voted on this and we will reintroduce the legislation that was running out of the clock in this parliament,” Mr Dametto said.

His comments come after David Crisafulli dodged answering multiple questions while at a press conference in Townsville on Wednesday, asking whether LNP MPs would be given a conscience vote and if he has discussed in the party room in recent days.

Mr Crisafulli stated he believed abortion was a “healthcare matter”, but didn’t provide a solid response saying it “was not part of our plan”.

Issuing a statement Thursday afternoon, Mr Dametto wanted to clarify some points around KAP’s plan to re-introduce abortion laws into parliament next term.

“Earlier this week, KAP Leader Robbie Katter spoke to the media about KAP’s recent Termination of Pregnancy (Live Births) Amendment Bill 2024. The aim of that Bill was to ‘amend the Termination of Pregnancy Act 2018 to clarify particular matters relating to the provision of medial care and treatment to persons born as a result of a termination’,” Mr Dametto said.

Katter’s Australian Party deputy leader Nick Dametto. Picture: NewsWire / John Gass

“In simple terms, the bill was to enshrine in legislation that babies inadvertently born alive as a result of a termination of pregnancy procedure are entitled to the same degree of medical care and attention as a baby born in any other way and should be treated with dignity in their final moments.

“Harrowing stories of babies still breathing and being discarded in medical waste bins or left on steel medical tables to die alone were horrific to hear. It is that legislation that KAP feels particularly strong about and hence why when probed by journalists on his position on abortion, our leader declared that KAP will be re-introducing this, or similar legislation into the next parliament”.

Mr Dametto added that “as a party built on strong Christian values”, KAP voted against Labor’s abortion laws in 2018, calling them “some of the most brutal in Australia, allowing late-term abortions up to 37 weeks”.

“Late term abortion has never sat well with me and is something I could never vote for in good conscience,” he said.

“This is in addition to the fact that there is no legislation protecting the rights of babies who may unfortunately be born alive during a termination which I fully support our KAP Leader on.”