Tearful speeches mark day one of abortion debate

Politicians on both sides of Queensland’s abortion debate have given tearful speeches in state parliament.

Politicians on both sides of Queensland’s abortion debate have given tearful speeches in state parliament, with one MP recounting his “blessed” upbringing as a foster child and another sharing her mother’s near-death ­experience from a “backyard termination”.

On the first of three days of debate, Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington opposed Labor’s bill as “badly crafted” and her deputy, Tim Mander, attacked the reform as “nothing short of legal killing”.

LNP MP Ted Sorensen, who entered foster care at 13 months after an unwanted pregnancy, said the bill would see lives like his ended before birth. “I’ve been blessed and had a good life, but who says to take my life away?”

Labor MP Kim Richards told of her mother who, after becoming pregnant as a teenager in 1963, could not access a legal abortion. “My mum and dad at the time knew they were not socially, emotionally or financially ready to be parents,” she said.

“In those days … it was a backyard termination and … without going into details and the damage done, my mum was very lucky to have escaped with her life.”

Ms Frecklington did not oppose decriminalising abortion “in principle” but urged new safeguards to prevent women being coerced by their partners.

Labor’s 48 and the LNP’s 39 MPs have a conscience vote. The debate continues today.