Peter Dutton warns Labor against ‘crass’ abortion debate

The Opposition Leader said while he supported “a woman’s right to choose”, he warned Labor against inflaming further debate on abortion.

Peter Dutton has warned the government to not make abortion a federal election issue, stating it would be the “cheapest, most crass” attempt to sway voters at the upcoming federal election.

Just last week, the Opposition Leader cautioned Coalition members against speaking publicly on the issue during a private party room meeting in which he said it would be a distraction and potentially cost the party votes.

Speaking to the ABC on Wednesday, Mr Dutton said while he emphatically supported “a woman’s right to choose”, he said it was a state issue and should not in debated nationally.

“If Labor chooses to use the issue of abortion at the next election, people know that it is probably the cheapest, most crass political effort in our recent history because abortion laws are not an issue for the federal government, as you well know,” he said.

Peter Dutton said that while he was pro-choice, he called on the government to not make abortion a federal issue. Picture: NewsWire/ Linda Higginson

However, Greens senator Larissa Waters said access to abortion was still a “postcode lottery”, with the minor party announcing an election pledge to give public hospitals $100m in funding to provide termination services.

In a sign that the Greens will continue to debate abortion on a national scale, Senator Waters said the federal government had a role to ensure access to reproductive health care.

“Reproductive health care must not be a culture war or a postcode lottery. No one should fall through the cracks when it comes to accessing vital health care,” she said.

“With the closure of many private abortion facilities in recent years, many women – particularly those in regional and remote areas – are left with little choice but to travel hundreds of kilometres and spend thousands of dollars.”

Greens senator Larissa Waters said reproductive health care should not be based on a ‘postcode lottery’. Picture: NewsWire/ Martin Ollman

Labor has also asked Mr Dutton to call on two Coalition senators to pull a private member’s Bill that would force medical professional to provide care to babies “born alive” as a result of termination.

While the Bill faced criticism from legal and health professionals, Mr Dutton said the senators had the right to put forward their Bill.

Mr Dutton also stressed that in most cases a private member’s Bill failed and would not pass without the support of the government.

“I’m not advocating that they withdraw their Bill or put it forward,” he said on Wednesday.

“If the government’s playing games, then that’s an issue for them, but for us, our senators have the right to put their own Bill forward and it can be voted on, on that basis.”