Calls for investigation into anti-abortion activist Joanna Howe’s campaign spending

By national regional health reporter Lucy Barbour and ABC Regional Investigations' Andy Burns

July 2, 2026

It is two days before the South Australian election, and Labor MP Nat Cook is being chased around her pre-poll booth by someone you may have never heard of.

The woman is a fast-rising figure in the anti-abortion movement, and her platform has the backing of some of Australia's most powerful right-wing political figures.

Joanna Howe is determined to see abortion banned across the country, and is leveraging MAGA-style campaigning tactics to try to influence political outcomes. This pre-poll booth during the SA election is ground zero for her street-brawler approach.

Continued: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-07-03/anti-abortion-activist-joanna-howe-political-ads/106835816

Australia – One Nation needs to be fought, not just analysed

It’s one thing to talk about resisting the far right. But what does it mean in practice?

June 14, 2026

Australian politics is at a turning point. One Nation’s polling numbers have gone from disturbing to disastrous in just a few months. The party is now a serious electoral challenger, and its leaders are moving quickly to build a serious far-right movement. Across the country, it is establishing branches, recruiting wealthy backers and attracting support from every corner of the right, from disaffected Liberals and Nationals to neo-Nazis.

In November, Pauline Hanson visited US President Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. Trump is unpopular in Australia, even among those considering voting for One Nation. But the visit signalled that One Nation is the official Australian section of the global far-right revival, the political kin of its most influential leader and every bit as prepared to smash the left, migrants and workers.

Continued: https://redflag.org.au/article/one-nation-needs-to-be-fought-not-just-analysed/

14.06.2026

One Nation’s anti‑abortion turn shows MAGA’s creeping power in Australia

June 14, 2026
Prudence Flowers

Earlier this month, One Nation’s Barnaby Joyce addressed a rally on the steps of New South Wales parliament. In emotive terms, he praised an anti-abortion bill about sex-selective abortion, legislation opposed by health experts.

Joyce’s speech is notable as a cut and paste of US culture war strategies, and for what it reveals about One Nation’s evolving, populist far-right agenda.

Continued: https://theconversation.com/one-nations-anti-abortion-turn-shows-magas-creeping-power-in-australia-284545

14.06.2026

sex-selection abortion

Australia

Activism

Anti-choice

Nationals MPs ‘targeted’ over NSW sex-selection abortion ban, MP claims

A Nationals MP targeted over a bill to ban sex-selection abortion has accused campaign organisers of being “politically mischievous”.

Nathan Schmidt
June 8, 2026

A Nationals MLC targeted over a bill to ban sex-selection abortion in NSW has accused campaign organisers of being “politically mischievous” amid a surge in support for One Nation, and that the Bill was a “dog whistle” for debate around “migration and differences of religion”.

Wes Fang took to social media over the weekend to call-out “misinformation” around Libertarian MLC John Ruddick’s abortion Law Reform Amendment (Sex Selection Prohibition) Bill 2025, which is expected to be debated during a conscience vote later this year.

Continued: https://www.news.com.au/national/nsw-act/politics/nationals-mps-targeted-over-nsw-sexselection-abortion-ban-mp-claims/news-story/0ef45ecf4c99b9b0bbfcc4e8fc50ecbd

08.06.2026

Law Reform Amendment (Sex Selection Prohibition) Bill 2025

One Nation party

sex-selection abortion

Anti-abortion fight evolves into ‘noxious brew’

By Kat Wong
June 5 2026

Anti-immigrant rhetoric is playing a growing role in the pro-life movement as conservative politicians attempt to revive their attacks on abortion rights.

The debate over reproductive healthcare has returned to the national spotlight after One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce spoke at an anti-abortion rally outside NSW Parliament as his party rides a wave of anti-immigrant sentiment to new polling highs.

While the anti-abortion movement has a long history in Australia, this latest push appears to have a new, racialised tilt.

Continued: https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/9287146/anti-abortion-fight-evolves-into-noxious-brew/

05.06.2026

sex selection abortion

sex-selective abortion

One Nation’s lurking attachment to the fringe anti-abortion movement sounds like the start of a horror movie

Australians who don’t want to find themselves victims should read the whole screenplay before accepting the part

Van Badham
Thu 4 Jun 2026

Australia’s right-wing populist One Nation party is enjoying a well-publicised poll bump, so it’s time to talk horror movies. We’ll employ our horror metaphor set before the monster has revealed itself, but as dark forces are growing more manipulative and insidious.

Not getting nearly enough play in the sensationalistic coverage around the conspicuously revived Pauline Hanson project is her party’s closeness to Australia’s fringe anti-abortion movement.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/jun/04/one-nation-fringe-anti-abortion-movement-horror-ntwnfb

04.06.2026

Opinion

anti-choice extremism

Anti-abortion activists are trying to limit access in NSW – and they are just getting started

Obstetricians and gynaecologists say anti sex-selective abortions bill ‘predicated on misinformation’ and ‘underlying aim is to restrict access to abortion’

Tory Shepherd
Wed 3 Jun 2026

The man who wants to ban “sex-selective abortions” is the first person who will tell you it won’t work.

New South Wales Libertarian party MLC John Ruddick has introduced legislation that would see health practitioners sent to prison or fined thousands if they carry out a termination because of the sex of a foetus.

But the experts, the evidence and history show that laws such as these tend to target immigrants, increase stigma and wind back reproductive rights.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/jun/03/anti-abortion-activists-are-trying-to-limit-access-in-nsw-and-they-are-just-getting-started

03.06.2026

Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

Ryan Park

sex-selective abortion

One Nation wants to roll back abortion rights in Australia – and is emboldening activists seeking US-style laws

Support for Pauline Hanson’s populist party has given fresh impetus to a loose network of activists trying to chip away at reproductive rights

Tory Shepherd
Mon 1 Jun 2026

The headline act at a Sydney anti-abortion rally being held on Tuesday in support of Libertarian MP John Ruddick’s bill to restrict abortion will not be Ruddick.

It will be the One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce. Joyce left the Nationals last year, not long after he was rebuked for his statements about abortion.

The dramatic rise in the polls of his new party has given fresh impetus to a loose network of anti-abortion groups trying to chip away at reproductive rights.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jun/01/one-nation-rise-anti-abortion-groups-australia-ntwnfb

Australia – Why politicians are talking about abortions again

November 2, 2025
Hosts: Billi FitzSimons • Sam Koslowski
Podcast – 12:41 minutes

Last week, late-term abortions came up as a point of contention in Australia’s Parliament.

It’s all because of a new proposed bill that would make it illegal for companies to cancel paid parental leave if a baby dies or is born stillborn.

So what’s the connection between that and late-term abortions? And how common actually are late term abortions?

Continued: https://thedailyaus.com.au/podcast/why-politicians-are-talking-about-abortions-again

02.11.2025

parental leave for abortion

Baby Priya brought compassion to the parliament. Then four men hijacked the debate

Jacqueline Maley
November 2, 2025

Politics can be a cynical and nasty business, but outbreaks of grace and compassion do occur. One happened on Wednesday during a parliamentary debate for the second reading speech of “Baby Priya’s Bill”. MP after MP rose to speak with sensitivity about one of life’s most devastating experiences – the birth of a stillborn baby.

The bill will amend workplace laws to ensure employee entitlements to parental leave extend to parents whose baby has been stillborn, or who has tragically died in infancy. The bill is named after baby Priya, who was born prematurely at 24 weeks in June 2024. For six weeks, she battled for life in the neonatal intensive care unit. Then she died.

Continued: https://archive.is/bgAUt
(https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/baby-priya-brought-compassion-to-the-parliament-then-four-men-hijacked-the-debate-20251031-p5n6s7.html)