Barnaby Joyce ‘lobbied on abortion access’

Barnaby Joyce says he is entitled to lobby NSW Nationals to vote against a bill for ‘safe zones’ around abortion clinics.

Barnaby Joyce on Seven’s Sunday Night program at the weekend.

Former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce says he is entitled to lobby NSW Nationals to vote against a state bill to provide “safe zones” around abortion clinics.

Mr Joyce contacted MPs ahead of a vote in NSW parliament on legislation to provide a 150-metre exclusion zone around clinics.

He said today it was within his rights to express his views to other elected officials.

“Members of parliament are there to have your views expressed to them," Mr Joyce told Prime Seven News.

“That is precisely what I’m allowed to do ... and I think in some instances you’re entitled to do.

“People know I’ve got a pro-life position, I’m surrounded by people who don’t and I respect their views and they respect mine.”

Yesterday NSW Nationals MP Kevin Anderson confirmed he was lobbied by Mr Joyce to vote against safe-access legislation.

Mr Anderson, whose electorate falls within the federal seat of New England, yesterday said Mr Joyce had called him about the bill.

Some NSW Nationals expressed concern yesterday that Mr Joyce was becoming involved in the issue. Mr Joyce did not return calls to The Australian yesterday.

NSW Nationals leader John Barilaro, who said he would support the safe access bill, said today that the former federal leader was within his rights to express his views on the issue. “Barnaby can do what Barnaby wants to do,” Mr Barilaro told reporters.

Mr Joyce reaffirmed his strong pro-life stand in a $150,000 interview with new partner Vikki Campion on the Seven Network on Sunday night. The couple spoke about the pregnancy and birth of their son Sebastian.

The confirmation from Tamworth MP Mr Anderson came after the Australian Christian Lobby released a television advertisement launching a ferocious attack on the NSW Nationals, likening the party to the Greens for its stand on social policies such as abortion, euthanasia and same-sex marriage.

The ads, which first aired on Tuesday on some free-to-air channels in prime time, asked: “When did the NSW Nationals become just as radical as the Greens? Was it when they introduced their own gay-marriage laws? Or was it when they wanted to legalise ­euthanasia? Then there was the time they introduced gay and transgender sex-ed classes …”

Former deputy prime minister and Nationals leader John Anderson said he had seen the ads and had become more concerned about the NSW party’s direction.

“It is incredibly important for the proper functioning of democracy that those who don’t have the same voice or the same capacity to make loud noises as the left are not ignored,” he said. “And I am a little concerned that the NSW Nationals party makes certain that it is ­really listening to its base because there is a very big question mark over who now speaks clearly and courageously for the majority of people in NSW who do not yet self-describe as left.”

The ACL confirmed yesterday it had posted its ad on social media and distributed at least 150,000 versions to mailboxes in targeted electorates in a fundraising bid to keep pressure on the Nationals.

ACL managing director Martyn Iles said: “The ACL has been promising that we will leverage our resources … to be a more serious political movement and to conduct more serious political campaigns”, adding it was time the Nationals were held accountable.

Additional reporting: AAP