Senior Liberal MPs furious that party members were warned against condemning abortion bill
Senior Liberal MPs are furious party members were “strongarmed” into blocking a debate on abortion on the basis it would “detract” from the Premier’s election victory while others felt they had faced veiled threats during preselection to not push publicly for the debate to continue.
NSW
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Senior Liberal MPs are furious party members were “strongarmed” into blocking a debate on abortion on the basis it would “detract” from the Premier’s election victory.
The Daily Telegraph can also reveal some MPs felt they had faced veiled threats over their preselection if they pushed publicly for the abortion debate to continue.
The party blocked a secret ballot on an urgency motion condemning the handling of the abortion bill at its state council meeting on Saturday, seeing it narrowly defeated 217 votes to 236.
A Liberal state executive member confirmed several key moderates whipped members to vote against the motion ahead of the meeting by telling them it would dampen state and federal election celebrations.
But the state executive member strongly denied moderates had threatened to withdraw preselection support over the issue.
Two MPs, speaking only on the condition of anonymity, told The Telegraph they believed “moderate henchmen” were making veiled preselection threats to members who supported the motion.
“The implication was that it would be in your best interests not to support the motion, or that it would be a career-limiting move to support it,” one anti-abortion MP said. “We were told that the Premier would not be happy if abortion was debated and that we need to be solid.”
Another MP said: “I heard of several people being leaned on to vote against the urgency motion,” adding: “The message was … you may have a tough preselection in the next few years.”
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Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Premier Gladys Berejiklian walked into the state council together, with one senior source saying this was a deliberate strategy to protect Ms Berejiklian from being booed on the floor of the council.
Liberal MP Tanya Davies — an outspoken critic of proposed laws to decriminalise abortion — was blindsided when her urgency motion was scrapped at the last minute.
It would have moved that state council “strongly condemns the appalling process used to fast-track the extreme … bill”.
Instead, members voted on a truncated urgency motion from Burwood and Sylvania Waters branches moving that state council “allow an urgent substantive motion condemning the process used to fast-track the (bill)”.
Ms Davies also requested a secret ballot be held on the motion but this was rejected.
Some MPs believe this could have seen the motion moved successfully because members would not have felt pressured to oppose it.
“I was very disappointed that a debate wasn’t held for the Liberal Party faithful to actually express their concern and their grievances,” Ms Davies said.
“It’s just another demonstration this bill is trying to be rammed through and due process ignored.”
A Liberal spokesman said the meeting was conducted in accordance with party rules.
Police Minister David Elliott, who publicly has opposed the abortion bill, said the Premier had listened to opposing opinion at the meeting.
“Even though the Premier and I have different views on the conscience vote, I believe she has played the issue with a straight bat and at no time can anyone in the Liberal Party, religious groups, medical fraternity or broader community say that she has not listened to their opinion,” he said.