Queensland Premier David Crisafulli blocks debate on abortion for four years in ‘unprecedented’ move

Queensland Premier David Crisafulli has gagged parliament from debating abortion reform for four years after promising there would be ‘no changes’ to laws under his government.

Queensland Premier David Crisafulli during parliamentary question time.

Debate on abortion laws has been banned in the Queensland parliament for at least four years after new Premier David Crisafulli moved an unprecedented motion to gag MPs and prevent landmark reforms from being rolled back.

In a move Christian groups have condemned as “undemocratic” and a “significant attack on free speech”, Mr Crisafulli’s ­motion will block MPs from introducing any legislation to restrict or improve access to termination of pregnancy services in the state.

It will also prevent motions requiring MPs to express views in parliament on the Termination of Pregnancy Act 2018 that removed abortion from the Criminal Code and allowed the procedure on request up to 22 weeks’ gestation.

It comes after Mr Crisafulli faced ­intense questioning during the October election ­campaign over his personal ­beliefs on abortion, the staunch pro-life views expressed by his candidates and desires of some in his partyroom to restrict access to the procedure.

Labor seized on the issue during the election, running attack ads on social media about Mr Crisafulli’s ­“secret plans” to roll back reforms.

Moving the surprise motion on Tuesday morning, Mr Crisafulli said Queensland voters had rejected Labor’s US-style scare campaign to remain in office.

“Queensland has said no to politicising a sensitive issue,” he said. “I said from day one, it was not part of our plan, I said there will be no changes.

“Labor knew this, and despite that, the social media tsunami, the grubby phone calls continued unabated.”

Opposition Leader and former premier Steven Miles said Mr Crisafulli was seeking to “constrain his own partyroom because he cannot control them and cannot trust them”.

“Make no mistake, this motion is a gag on that whole side of this house,” he told parliament, pointing to the government benches. “We will oppose that motion, in part, because on this side of the house we want to continuously see women’s rights expanded and strengthened.”

While Labor MPs voted against the gag, the powerful head of the Queensland Council of Unions Jacqueline King – who spearheaded the abortion attack during the election – welcomed it.

“This is a move that 75 per cent of Queenslanders fully support – whether they live in Brisbane or the regions,” she said.

“It’s a smart move by this government and a win for ordinary Queenslanders.”

Mr Crisafulli categorically ruled out law changes before the election and vowed to continue funding Labor’s $42m abortion action plan, but he repeatedly refused to explain how he could fulfil his guarantee of “no changes” if crossbenchers introduced legislation that some LNP MPs supported.

It has been a longstanding practice of the LNP partyroom to grant MPs a conscience vote – allowing them to vote freely without influence of the party – on matters of life or death.

Describing the motion as “unprecedented”, Katter’s Australian Party leader Robbie Katter, who had previously flagged plans to negotiate with LNP MPs to “calibrate” legislation to something they would be willing to support, said he was “gobsmacked” that Mr Crisafulli had banned abortion debate.

“What do the pro-life people do in Queensland now?” he said.

“I can’t get my head around this, clearly it’s targeted.

“We were going to be the only party to bring something in here like this and we try and do it with respect, appreciating that it is a tricky subject for people, but we should have a right to bring something in here and certainly those babies need representation.”

Australian Christian Lobby Queensland director Rob Norman said the Premier’s abortion debate ban was “undemocratic” and compromised the parliamentary process.

“Mr Crisafulli has set a very bad precedent for political parties to gag proper debate and silence the contest of ideas in parliament,” he said.

“Suppression of debate concerning the consequences of third trimester abortion is inhumane and reckless. Robbie Katter’s right to reintroduce his Live Births Bill has been torpedoed”.

A spokesman for pro-life lobby group Cherish Life argued there would have been little political risk in the LNP tightening “more extreme” aspects of Labor’s 2018 reforms including mandating women receive counselling before having an abortion.

“This ban on parliamentary debate is an appalling overreach against democratic principles and a significant attack on free speech, gagging our elected representatives from discussing a crucial life or death issue,” he said.