Premier Gladys Berejiklian has no plans to step aside

Gladys Berejiklian plans run again in 2023, slapping down ministers keen for her job amid backlash over new abortion laws.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian arrives for the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting in Cairns, on Friday. Picture: AAP

Gladys Berejiklian has vowed to run again as NSW Premier in 2023, slapping down ministers keen for her job in the wake of a backlash over the passing of new abortion laws.

As the Premier faces headwinds after she backed laws ­decriminalising abortion in NSW — which passed the Legislative ­Assembly despite a majority of Liberals voting against them — she told The Australian she voted for the bill “for the next generations” of women in NSW, to prevent them being prosecuted for terminations.

The Premier, triumphant after a state election victory in March, has looked shaky lately, partly thanks to her decision to allow ­independent MP Alex Greenwich, with the support of Health Minister Brad Hazzard, to move the bill decriminalising abortion.

It has angered conservatives in her party and was voted against last week by Attorney-General Mark Speakman, Treasurer ­Dominic Perrottet, Planning Minister Rob Stokes, Police Minister David Elliott and Corrections Minister ­Anthony Roberts among other ministers.

But Ms Berejiklian said she did not feel threatened by speculation that Transport Minister Andrew Constance and Mr Perrottet have ambitions to be premier. “I think competition is healthy in politics and it’s always been thus and I don’t have a problem with that,” she said.

Ms Berejiklian, speaking during a trade mission to London, said she had felt under pressure for years from MPs including Mr Greenwich to deal with the abortion laws, but “if anything, I kept kicking it down the road because I didn’t want to deal with it before the election, I’ll be honest with you”.

Ms Berejiklian felt she eventually had to allow a conscience vote on the laws, particularly as abortion had been decriminalised in every other state.

She admitted that she had been pro-choice since her days in the Young Liberals.

“Irrespective of how you feel about the issue, and it is an issue people feel deeply emotional about, it’s a question of whether you think it (abortion) should sit in the Crimes Act or not. South Australia took it out (of the Crimes Act) half a century ago; all the other states have done it, but I do appreciate for some people it’s a deeply emotional issue.

“For some people, because of their faith or personal beliefs, they would never support abortion and I understand that.”

NSW is the only state where abortion remains a criminal ­offence. Queensland decriminalised abortion in December and the procedure is available up to 22 weeks. After that, two doctors must be consulted.

In Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania, abortion is available through a doctor up to 24 weeks, 23 weeks and 16 weeks respectively, and can be performed later with the consent of two doctors. In Western Australia, a woman can seek an abortion up to 20 weeks, however, there are restrictions for those under 16 and beyond the 20-week mark. Northern Territory law allows abortion up to 14 weeks with one doctor’s approval. A second doctor is ­required to sign off on an abortion if the woman is between 14 and 23 weeks into the pregnancy. The practice is also legal in the ACT.

The legislation will go to the upper house next week and is ­expected to be passed again, thanks to a majority of Labor and Nationals MPs, despite a majority of Liberals again being expected to vote against it in that house.

Asked why she did not take the draft legislation through a cabinet process, as opposed to a ­conscience vote, Ms Berejiklian said: “Because how can you argue on the one hand that NSW is the only state that doesn’t have it out of the Crimes Act but on the other ­respect people’s deeply held ­religious views. I wouldn’t want to force someone to vote against their religious ­beliefs.”

Ms Berejiklian denied speculation in parliament that abortion could be her “greyhounds ­moment”, similar to how Mike Baird’s later-overturned greyhound racing ban damaged his premiership.

Talk around Macquarie Street is that Mr Constance and Mr Perrottet have leadership ambitions amid a belief Ms Berejiklian could retire mid-term to get a job in the banking sector, as Mr Baird did. Ms Berejiklian confirmed there was speculation, but said she was going nowhere.

Of ministers wanting her job, she said: “I’d be disappointed if there wasn’t. I think ambition is healthy in politics.” Ms Berejiklian is touring the UK and Germany to promote trade with NSW.