Abortion debate: Berejiklian says ‘Quiet voters are with me’
Premier Gladys Berejiklian has defiantly insisted that no amount of community consultation would have smoothed the passage of a contentious abortion bill through NSW parliament.
NSW
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Premier Gladys Berejiklian has defiantly insisted that no amount of community consultation would have smoothed the passage of a contentious abortion bill through NSW parliament.
In remarks that will come as a slap in the face to concerned constituents who are said to be “ropeable” over the rushed process, Ms Berejiklian said it was “unfair” to say time would have made a difference.
“We have to accept that no matter what length of time it took … a lot of people are pretty fixed in their views one way or another,” she said.
Ms Berejiklian also claimed that while “there are people who feel strongly either way … there are also the silent majority who are not uncomfortable with what’s going on”.
Proposed laws to decriminalise abortion in NSW — which are currently before the upper house — have sparked massive protests and fractured the Liberal Party following their speedy passage through parliament.
Liberal MP Tanya Davies and colleague Matthew Mason-Cox were among 15 cross-party MPs who this week called for the bill to be set aside and properly examined by a joint parliamentary committee.
Speaking exclusively to The Saturday Telegraph, Ms Berejiklian questioned whether a longer parliamentary inquiry would have changed anything.
“What is the reasonable amount of time? Would it have made a difference to the outcome?” she said.
And in an extraordinary admission, the Premier revealed she advised colleagues who harboured concerns to oppose the bill.
“I actually gave advice to my colleagues, some of whom raise concerns about the timing, I said, if you’re worried about the timing, or you’re unsure about anything in the bill, vote against it,” she said.
Ms Berejiklian also said yesterday she was “sorry if people feel that they were rushed” on the laws.
Asked about her personal stance on abortion, the Premier said she was “not someone who’d be comfortable going through that process”.
Ms Berejiklian and Health Minister Brad Hazzard were in the minority of Liberal MPs who backed the abortion bill, which passed the lower house 59 votes to 31 after three days of heated debate.
It was opposed by almost two thirds of the party with major concerns among her colleagues about conscientious objection and a lack of protections against sex-selective abortion and for babies born alive during failed terminations.
Seven of 10 Liberals in the upper house were opposed to the legislation.
Ms Berejiklian hit back at suggestions the government should have shown leadership by owning the bill off the back of a stunning election victory in March.
“I know that never ever ever would this be a bill that I would introduce as a government because how could I expect members who feel they have a conscientious objection to this issue to vote for it?” she said.
“I would never put them in that position.”
Independent MP Alex Greenwich originally moved the bill but it was overseen by Mr Hazzard, who has admitted he would have moved it himself had Mr Greenwich not acted first.
It was also co-sponsored by 15 MPs, five of whom were from the Coalition.
Defending the speed at which the bill passed the lower house, Ms Berejiklian said that by limiting debate to private members’ day “it could have taken a year or two to get through”.
“(That) would have been incredibly divisive for the community,” she said.
“I think it’s important now to bring everybody together.”
However, she conceded the handling of the process had not been ideal.
“If you look at all the conscience votes that parliament has had, it’s never easy. There is no perfect process,” she said.
“I’m far from perfect — point to me a member of parliament who has done everything perfect in their career. I’m certainly not going to put my hand up.”
“I’ve made a lot of mistakes and I’ll continue to make a lot of mistakes but that’s what part of leadership is about.”
The Premier — who is a member of the Armenian church — also said she was “someone of very deep faith” but felt an obligation to “separate my faith from making a decision”.
On the issue of gender selection, Ms Berejiklian argued the NSW parliament has the “strongest position” in the country on the issue.
This is despite the fact MPs did not vote for a motion to require “termination not to be used for gender selection”
MPs instead agreed to an amendment requiring them to condemn the practice.
It also requires the health ministry to investigate the issue and report back within 12 months.
“In NSW we’ve actually made (the practice) more difficult and we have a review process in place which no other state has done,” she said.
“I am in my heart comfortable with the fact we have the strongest safeguards in the nation on this issue.”