Abortion bill vote delayed in the NSW upper house

Premier Gladys Berejiklian bowed to pressure on abortion legislation but her backdown failed to quell anger in the ranks, setting up a fiery Liberal state council meeting next month.

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Premier Gladys Berejiklian bowed to pressure on abortion legislation but her backdown failed to quell anger in the ranks, setting up a fiery Liberal state council meeting next month.

Upper House MPs were granted another three weeks before voting but the last-minute change was slammed by furious Liberals as too little, too late.

In a show of strength, 15 politicians — from One Nation and Shooters, Fishers and Farmers to the major parties­ — stood side-by-side yesterday morning to demand more time to consider­ the bill.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian conceded to the pressure and allowed three more weeks — well short of the six months demanded by those who want a thorough inquiry. Picture: AAP

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By lunch, Ms Berejiklian had conceded and allowed three more weeks — well short of the six months demanded by those who want a thorough inquiry.

It came after a heated party room meeting in which Ms Berejiklian outlined her backdown and said the government wanted to hold off on amendments until next month, amid concerns it has been rushed.

Centre right factional power player Scott Farlow was given a guarantee in the meeting that any future bills in which a cross-party working group is involved should be raised within the party room first.

Ms Berejiklian has been criticised for allowing independent Alex Greenwich to introduce the bill, rather than taking ownership.

15 MPs from the upper and lower house are calling for legislation to decriminalise abortion to be put on ice. Shooters leader Robert Borsak (speaking at podium) has also threatened to never work with the Berejiklian government again if the Bill passes in its current form. Picture: Supplied

It is understood there was a tense exchange between Ms Berejiklian and Liberal MP Matthew Mason-Cox in the meeting, after he criticised her leadership for allowing the bill to be rushed through.

Ms Berejiklian is understood to have pointed out Mr Mason-Cox wasn’t entitled to criticise the process after he refused to support two pieces of government legislation last year.

Liberal MP Tanya Davies also spoke passionately about how the rushed process­ has been hurting the community before calling for a proper review of the legislation.

It’s also understood MPs discussed moving forward with Christian Democrat Fred Nile’s “Zoe’s Law” as a government bill.

Liberal MP Tanya Davies. Picture: AAP

The law would make it an offence to cause serious harm or death to a foetus during a crime such as negligent driving or assault.

Last night, thousands of pro-life supporters­ swarmed Martin Place to express their anger, chanting “stand for life” and “axe the bill”. One woman fainted. Finance Minister Damien Tudehope­ said the rally was “giving a voice to the voiceless”.

Ms Davies declared on Tuesday the government was in “crisis”.

“My community is absolutely outraged that they have been shut-out and denied any opportunity to participate in this process,” she said.

Protesters listen to the heartbeat of the unborn child of Chantal Czeczotko during a rally against the Reproductive Health Care Reform Bill 2019, in Martin Place. Picture: Justin Lloyd

The abortion bill is now set to threaten Ms Berejiklian’s tenuous grasp on power, with Shooters leader Robert Borsak declaring his party won’t work with the Premier “right out to the next election” if the bill goes ahead in its current form. Ms Berejiklian holds power by a slim two-seat majority and risks losing control­ of parliament without the support of the Shooters.

After previously flagging his support for the law change, Mr Borsak changed his mind over a lack of protections against sex-selective abortion and for babies born alive during terminations, saying the bill was the “worst kind of possible deregulation that will, in my view, lead to infanticide”.

Independent MP Alex Greenwich has copped criticism for being a “nobody”. Mr Greenwich originally moved the bill in the lower house. Picture: AAP

While some of Ms Berejiklian’s supporters­ claimed she’d bought “breathing space”, others were savage in their assessment of her handling of the debacle. She is expected to face heavy “frustration” at the Liberal state council meeting on September 7.

A Liberal MP told The Daily Telegraph the issues had “definitely taken the shine off the Premier’s leadership”.

Another dismissed Ms Berejiklian’s attempts to quell the anger as failing to properly address their concerns: “It’s a delay to the debate. That’s all. It’s not a public consultation process.” Another said it was “difficult to put the genie back into the bottle­”.

Protesters during a rally against the Reproductive Health Care Reform Bill 2019 in Martin Place. Picture: Justin Lloyd

Upper House MPs began debating the bill on Tuesday put will not put forward amendments or vote until parliament resumes on September 17.

Mr Greenwich argued abortion reform is “long overdue and it’s now incumbent on the upper house to pass the bill as soon as possible”.

One Nation NSW leader Mark Latham said proper process of the legislation had been “squandered”, adding the Premier’s style was to “lead from behind”. “This is when politics is at its weakest — when it becomes an ideological indulgence of those governing instead of practical assistance meeting the needs of those being governed,” he said.