One Nation hopeful likens late abortion to ‘cutting a Sunday roast’

Pauline Hanson’s right-hand man, James Ashby, has graphically described a late-term abortion, saying Queenslanders would be “offended” by the state’s law. WARNING: GRAPHIC

One Nation leader Senator Pauline Hanson and the party’s Queensland leader James Ashby. Picture: Dan Peled

Pauline Hanson’s right-hand-man and One Nation Keppel candidate James Ashby has been slapped down for graphically likening a late-term abortion to “cutting up a Sunday roast chicken”.

Mr Ashby, who pundits say is on track to unseat Labor’s Assistant Health Minister Brittany Lauga in the central Queensland seat of Keppel, used a candidate’s interview to criticise contents of the government’s 2018 law to decriminalise abortion.

In the conversation, Mr Ashby said he was informed about first-trimester abortions but wanted to learn about what a second and third-trimester-procedure looks like.

“When I had a look at the legislation, it permits a woman to make a choice to go and have an abortion right up until the very day before birth,” he said.

“I took the gruelling task of watching a late-term abortion that had been filmed and put on YouTube.

“I want to be really careful how I say this but there’s no polite way of saying this … it reminded me of cutting up a Sunday roast chicken and I thought that is the most inhumane thing to do to a child.”

Mr Ashby described how, if the baby is not extracted through an induced procedure, “they quite literally hack it to get it out”.

“I just thought to myself I can’t back that, I don't know how many women could,” he said.

“It shocks me to think that Labor support that, it shocked me to think some of the LNP people support that.”

Health and Women Minister Shannon Fentiman slammed Mr Ashby’s comments.

“This is an abhorrent thing to say and to double down on it is disgusting, but not surprising,” she said.

Health Minister Shannon Fentiman hit back at the graphic comparison. Picture: Glenn Campbell

Mr Ashby argued Queenslanders should be concerned about the ability for a woman to terminate a late-stage pregnancy.

“I’m offended Labor has lied to Queenslanders – suggesting this Bill was to simply decriminalise abortion,” he said.

“Anyone who scratches the surface will quickly learn this Bill allows a person to terminate the life of a baby up until the day before birth.”

Under legislation, a woman more than 22 weeks pregnant requires two doctors to consider medical, physical, psychological and social circumstances before performing the procedure.

Separately, Labor has attacked Opposition Leader David Crisafulli by arguing, without providing evidence, the LNP would restrict women’s rights.

Mr Crisafulli said the claim “crossed the line” and reiterated no change to abortion laws if elected.

“It’s not changing. And I’ve said that, and I guess you would have to … ask the premier why they have continued to run a campaign on that, which is a sensitive issue in the way that they have done,” he said.

“Because the Labor Party is using the sensitivities of this issue to try and make it a political issue.”