LNP senator and Broncos chairman back Queensland anti-abortion campaign containing ‘baseless’ claims

Exclusive: claims made in campaign material by rightwing lobby group Cherish Life about abortion laws are labelled ‘disinformation’

Ben Smee
Fri 16 Oct 2020

The Liberal National party senator Gerard Rennick and the Brisbane Broncos chairman, Karl Morris, are among the financial backers of a prominent anti-abortion “disinformation” campaign targeting marginal seats ahead of the Queensland election.

Billboards, leaflets and advertisements authorised by the lobby group, Cherish Life, include provocative statements about Queensland’s abortion laws that have repeatedly been found to be baseless.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/oct/16/lnp-senator-and-broncos-chairman-back-queensland-anti-abortion-campaign-containing-baseless-claims

Queensland election: LNP tries to keep anti-abortion push out of sight

Deb Frecklington seeks broad support in a state that backs abortion rights, but some LNP MPs and poll candidates are pressing for a more divisive approach

Ben Smee
Fri 16 Oct 2020

At a campaign stop this week, the Queensland opposition leader, Deb Frecklington, was asked about the Liberal National party’s policy to review the state’s abortion laws. She quickly changed the subject.

“I haven’t got the details of that yet, it’s not a priority,” Frecklington said.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/oct/17/why-queenslands-opposition-leader-wants-partys-anti-abortion-push-kept-out-of-election-sight

Australia – Politicians Who Voted to Legalise Abortion Are Now Receiving Threats

Politicians Who Voted to Legalise Abortion Are Now Receiving Threats
Anti-abortion groups have vowed to "remove" MPs who voted for change.

by Gavin Butler
Oct 18 2018

This week, the Queensland parliament voted to change a 119-year-old clause in the state’s criminal code and officially legalise abortion. Both Labor and Liberal National Party (LNP) members were given a conscience vote, and the legislative change—which now grants people the right to request an abortion up to 22 weeks into the pregnancy—was approved by a comfortable majority of 50 votes to 41.

Among those 50 were three LNP MPs—Tim Nicholls, Steve Minnikin and Jann Stuckey—who voted against their party’s formal policy on abortion in support of the new laws. In so doing, the MPs opened themselves up to criticism and condemnation from within their own ranks, The Guardian reports—to say nothing of the wrath from anti-abortion activists.

Continued: https://www.vice.com/en_au/article/yw9jy5/politicians-who-voted-to-legalise-abortion-are-now-receiving-threats

Threats of reprisals against Queensland MPs who voted to legalise abortio

Threats of reprisals against Queensland MPs who voted to legalise abortion

By Allyson Horn
Oct 17, 2018

Pro-life groups have threatened MPs who voted to remove abortion from Queensland's criminal code, vowing to remove them from office.

MPs were given a conscience vote in Parliament and voted 50 to 41 to reform the 19th century laws.

Continued: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-10-18/threats-of-reprisals-against-mps-who-voted-to-legalise-abortion/10390220

Australia – Abortion laws that once led to police raids and arrests may be scrapped

Abortion laws that once led to police raids and arrests may be scrapped

By Allyson Horn
Oct 15, 2018

Thirty-three years ago Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen ordered police raids on Queensland's abortion clinics because terminating a pregnancy was illegal.

Those laws have not changed for more than 100 years, but this week MPs will be asked to make abortion legal.

In 1985 police burst through the doors of the Greenslopes Fertility Control Clinic — one of Queensland's only abortion facilities.

Continued: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-10-16/abortion-laws-may-be-scrapped-in-queensland/10373646

Labor calls for activists to be exposed on abortion claims

Labor calls for activists to be exposed on abortion claims

Jared Owens
August 23, 2018

Queensland’s Labor government is urging people to dob in anti-abortion activists who make dubious claims about its plan to legalise terminations on request for women up to 22 weeks’ pregnant.

The draft law, introduced into parliament yesterday, would also decriminalise abortion and create safe zones to prevent activists’ canvassing pregnant women within 150m of clinics.

continued: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/state-politics/labor-calls-for-activists-to-be-exposed-on-abortion-claims/news-story/9902ad056a04f1e9e77a2ba5927cc2a6?nk=d2feef8765d9eded8a6860bac74e0889-1535041177

Queensland MPs who support abortion reform face voter backlash: poll

Queensland MPs who support abortion reform face voter backlash: poll

By Toby Crockford
19 August 2018

MPs who support Labor's proposed legislation to decriminalise abortion in Queensland could lose 24 per cent of their vote at the next state election, according to a new Galaxy poll.

YouGov Galaxy conducted an "independent mark research" poll, which was commissioned by Cherish Life Queensland and the Australian Family Association, and asked a representative sample of 1000 Queensland voters a total of 21 questions around the issue of abortion.

Continued: https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/queensland-mps-who-support-abortion-reform-face-voter-backlash-poll-20180819-p4zyff.html

Proposed Queensland abortion laws will improve access for regional and remote women, pro-choice advocates say

Proposed Queensland abortion laws will improve access for regional and remote women, pro-choice advocates say

ABC Capricornia
By Megan Hendry and Amy McCosker
July 25, 2018

Pro-choice advocates have thrown their support behind proposed changes to Queensland's abortion laws, saying it will give women in regional and remote areas better access to services.

Women in a large parts of north and west Queensland have limited access to abortion services and have been forced to travel vast distances to Rockhampton, Townsville or even interstate, according to not-for-profit abortion service provider, Marie Stopes Australia.

Continued: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-07-26/abortion-laws-will-improve-access-for-regional-and-remote-women/10004142