Nanango MP Deb Frecklington hold firm on abortion rollbacks, saying it is ‘not part of our plan’

During an announcement in new funding for a jobs program, Opposition Manufacturing spokeswoman Deb Frecklington refused to be derailed by repeated questions about the looming possibility of a conscience vote on rolling back abortion access.

 

Nanango MP Deb Frecklington was asked four times how she would vote on the Katter’s Australia Party’s proposed private members bill, and each time she repeated the same answer.

“We have already ruled it out, that is not part of our plan,” Ms Frecklington said.

The Opposition spokeswoman for Energy, Water and Regional Development was hit with the questions during a press conference where the party pledged an extra $15m in grants and support for manufacturing businesses.

Earlier this week Katter’s Australia Party said it would put forward a bill to rollback the 2018 abortion laws, legalising the procedure, on request, for up to 22 weeks into gestation.

The proposal has put the LNP on the backfoot with the party yet to rule out if it would allow its members to have a conscience vote on any changes.

When the matter was last before parliament, all but three LNP members voted to restrict abortion access.

At the press conference in Toowoomba on Thursday, Ms Frecklington declined to comment if she would change her vote.

“That is not part of our plan, but what is a part of our plan is establishing a manufacturing hub right here in Queensland, encouraging more people into jobs right here in Toowoomba

It is not part of our plan,” she said.

It was a line similar to that used by LNP leader David Crisafulli when he was quizzed 39 times in Townsville on Wednesday, and again declined to give a straight answer.

“It is not part of our plan,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Australian Christian Lobby has backed the KAP position.

In a statement, Queensland director Rob Norman described Queensland abortion law as “extreme”.

“Mr Crisafulli must now show some real leadership and reaffirm the LNP’s policy of allowing members a conscience vote,” he said.

“This issue simply will not go away, Queenslanders deserve to know what their candidate’s positions are on a range of issues before they go to the ballot box.”

Pro-choice advocates also want clarity.

Children by Choice chief executive Jill McKay said Mr Crisafulli needs to address the issue head-on.

“Crisafulli’s suggestion that abortion is ‘too sensitive’ to talk about is a distraction — it’s not about sensitivity for the LNP, it’s about political convenience,” she said.

“What’s truly sensitive are the deeply personal decisions women and pregnant people make about their pregnancies, which is exactly why we need to hear a categorical commitment from the LNP to protect their rights, now and into the future.”

The content summaries were created with the assistance of AI technology, then edited and approved for publication by an editor.

Originally published as Nanango MP Deb Frecklington hold firm on abortion rollbacks, saying it is ‘not part of our plan’