Queensland election 2024: Crisafulli abortion stance has to be revealed | Opinion
OPINION: Whatever your stance is on abortion, voters - whether they’re LNP, Labor, minor party or undecided - deserve to know how Mr Crisafulli will keep his promise to not change the laws, when many within his ranks want him to break it.
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How many times do you have to ask a politician to make their stance clear on a deeply important issue that affects the bodily autonomy rights of 50 per cent of the population?
According to LNP leader and Premier-hopeful David Crisafulli, at least 50, and we are still no closer to hearing a clear answer.
For four days now Mr Crisafulli has repeated himself to multiple journalists on the campaign trail that there will be no changes to Queensland’s abortion laws under his government.
The only thing is, he stops short of outlining how he will ensure the current laws will be protected against MPs within his own party who could be champing at the bit to amend or revoke them.
Now Katter Party is calling on the LNP to make their stance on abortion clear to the voters.
And the Katters are right.
Meanwhile many of the LNP politicians across Queensland, including shadow treasurer David Janetzki, failed Premier hopeful Deb Frecklington and others are staying on their leaders’ short leash and sticking with the party line right now of “there are no plans to change it”.
The only way he can do that is by shutting down the option for his MPs to make a conscience vote on the matter.
But Mr Crisafulli refuses to say that - either out of fear of disappointing his right-wing voting base and MPs or out of fear of losing votes from women and on-the-fencers.
Whichever one you choose, it’s not a great sign of conviction or leadership from the person who is trying to convince Queenslanders his party should govern for the first time in a decade.
And if he doesn’t shut down a conscience vote, can Queenslanders expect past behaviour to predict future behaviour?
In 2018 during a conscience vote, all but three of Queensland’s LNP’s voted against the decriminalisation of abortion.
Mr Crisafulli was among the majority of his party.
If Mr Crisafulli wants to become Premier then he needs a plan B, instead of avoiding a vital question to an issue that's important to so many on all sides of the political spectrum.
He can say until he is blue in the face that there will be no changes, but he must outline how he will do that.
Attempts to deflect from the abortion issue by trying to convince people the election is only about youth crime, health and cost of living won’t cut it.
Whatever your stance is on abortion, voters - whether they’re LNP, Labor, minor party or undecided - deserve to know how Mr Crisafulli will keep his promise, when there are many within his ranks who want him to break it.
Originally published as Queensland election 2024: Crisafulli abortion stance has to be revealed | Opinion
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