Rockhampton, Keppel and Mirani candidates speak on abortion issue before election
A woman running for a Central Qld state seat says victims of rape should not be allowed to terminate a pregnancy, while another has revealed she has had friends forced into that harrowing situation. See the views of other candidates.
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A Rockhampton grandmother running for the seat of Mirani says no woman should be allowed to terminate her pregnancy, even if it is the result of a rape.
Family First candidate Patricia Martin described a rape victim’s abortion as “corporal punishment” for “a child”.
Her views directly oppose rival candidate Brettlyn ‘Beaver’ Neal from One Nation who revealed she had friends who had been raped, saying they deserved the option to terminate the pregnancy.
After the LNP Opposition Leader was asked about his stance on abortion more than 130 times throughout the campaign, David Crisafulli stated at the Sky News and Courier-Mail People’s Forum on Tuesday night that he supported a woman’s right to choose.
Mr Crisafulli has repeatedly said the LNP intends to keep Labor’s current abortion laws implemented in 2018.
Under those laws, a woman can request an abortion for pregnancies up to 22 weeks for any reason.
However, if a woman is more than 22 weeks pregnant, the law requires that two doctors must consider all of her circumstances and agree the termination should be performed.
The doctors must consider the medical circumstances relating to the pregnancy, including current and future physical, psychological and social circumstances and any professional standards and guidelines.
See the views of most of the candidates for Rockhampton, Keppel and Mirani about abortion below.
LNP Keppel candidate Nigel Hutton, One Nation Rockhampton candidate David Bond, Keppel Independent candidate Petrina Murphy and The Greens Mirani candidate Maria Carty did not provide their stance.
ROCKHAMPTON
LNP candidate for Rockhampton Donna Kirkland:
During an announcement with Opposition Leader David Crisafulli in Rockhampton on October 11, Ms Kirkland was asked more than a dozen times what her current personal views were on abortion after she shared an Australian Christians Party social media post in 2019 stating “abortion is the greatest human rights abuse of our time”.
On Wednesday October 23, she said she had been very clear about her position.
“There will be no changes to the current abortion legislation, we have ruled it out,” Ms Kirkland said.
“It is disgraceful how the Labor Government have used this scare campaign tactic on such a sensitive and personal issue across Queensland, and here locally.
Family First candidate for Rockhampton Fredy Johnson:
Mr Johnson said he does not support abortion.
“We need to create a strategic plan,” he said.
“Every baby should be given the opportunity to live.
“Personally, I am against abortion of a fully grown child.”
Independent candidate for Rockhampton Margaret Strelow:
Ms Strelow has repeatedly made her stance clear on abortion.
“I don’t think government has any right to be in there. I support the current legislation,” she said.
“It’s a question between a woman and her doctor.
“And if she’s a woman of faith, it’s between the woman and her maker.”
The Greens candidate for Rockhampton Mick Jones:
Mr Jones said the party were firmly pro-choice.
“The Greens absolutely and unequivocally support a woman’s right to choose - we do not have conscience votes on it or other nonsense like the Labor Party,” he said.
“Our policy supports us very firmly to support reproductive rights.
“We actually had an abortion centre in Rockhampton run out of funding a little while ago and we had excuses made about that.”
Labor candidate for Rockhampton Craig Marshall:
I will always vote to protect a women’s right to choose and I absolutely support the Termination of Pregnancy Act 2018, which provides for safe, legal and compassionate access to abortion care.
Legalise Cannabis Party Queensland candidate for Rockhampton Jacinta Waller:
Ms Waller said she supports free choice for women.
“We stand for autonomy over our body in all matters.”
One Nation candidate for Rockhampton David Bond:
No response.
KEPPEL
LNP candidate for Keppel Nigel Hutton:
No response.
Family First candidate for Keppel Roger McWhinney:
Mr McWhinney said his party would advocate for pregnant women.
“(We support) better care for women who believe that they have no other choice but to abort an unwanted pregnancy, [and better care] for their babies,” he said.
One Nation candidate for Keppel James Ashby:
Mr Ashby said the legislation needed to be changed.
“What is happening in our hospital system does need amending - nurses don’t like it, women that have gone through the procedure have had regrets at a later date and it’s quite clear something needs to be done to protect those late-born babies whose parents may have chosen to abort them but they’ve been born alive and sadly just left to die on a bench,” he said.
The Greens candidate for Keppel Clancy Mullbrick:
Mr Mullbrick said abortion should remain legal.
“Abortion is not and should never be a crime,” he said.
Labor Keppel MP Brittany Lauga:
Ms Lauga said she believes the “termination of pregnancy should be safe, legal and accessible”.
“And that’s what the current legislation allows for,” she said.
“I stood very proudly in the parliament and voted in support of decriminalisation in 2018.
“Keep your hands off our bodies, abortion should not be a crime.
“You can’t actually stop abortions, you can only stop safe ones.”
Independent candidate for Keppel Petrina Murphy:
No response.
MIRANI
Katter’s Australia Party Mirani MP Stephen Andrew:
Mr Andrew said he supports abortion in “genuine cases”.
“This is about the rights of a baby born alive after an abortion gone wrong and the child’s human right to comfort and compassion until he or she passes,” he said.
This means these babies have no legal rights and in some cases are left to die without any medical care.
“It seems the LNP has abandoned its conservative roots and joined the ALP in depriving Queensland babies of their human rights.
“The two major parties colluded to reject the KAP Termination of Pregnancy (Live Births) Amendment Bill 2024 and recommend it not be passed.”
The KAP plan to reintroduce the Babies Born Alive Bill that failed earlier this year.
Labor candidate for Mirani Susan Teder:
“I stick by the Queensland Health and current policy of Steven Miles,” she said.
“No changes.”
Family First candidate for Mirani Patricia Martin:
Mrs Martin said she does not support abortion.
“I believe that there is no ethical reason for abortion, except in the case where the physical life of the mother is at imminent risk as a direct result of the baby within her womb,” she said.
“I believe that even in the case of rape that a child should not pay the corporal punishment if either parent as the child is a person in its own right and therefore has legal rights to justice.”
LNP candidate for Mirani Glen Kelly:
Mr Kelly said there will be no changes to the current abortion legislation under the LNP.
One Nation candidate for Mirani Brettlyn ‘Beaver’ Neal:
Ms Neal said she supports a woman’s right to choose.
“I believe that women should have a choice - it’s their body,” she said.
“I have friends that have been raped, and those people should have the option to terminate the pregnancy.
“I also have friends that have wanted a baby to the point that they’ve had eggs frozen and had the worst news ever… one in particular, the doctors said that the baby wouldn’t live past its fifth birthday and they’ve had to make the hardest choice of their life.”
The Greens candidate for Mirani Maria Carty:
No response by deadline.
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