Australia- Katter attempts to force discussion on abortion access in Queensland parliament despite ban on debate

By Sarah Richards and Ned Hammond
June 2, 2026

An attempt by Katter's Australian Party (KAP) to dodge a debate ban and revive abortion access discussion has been shot down in state parliament.

The subject became an issue ahead of the last Queensland election in October 2024, when KAP pledged to introduce legislation to repeal abortion laws after the poll.

After winning government, Premier David Crisafulli banned MPs from amending the Termination of Pregnancy Act or debating any motion that allowed the parliament to express a view on the law over the LNP's first term.

Continued; https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-06-02/katters-australian-party-abortion-drug-debate-crisafulli/106750096

02.06.2026

Termination of Pregnancy Act

Queensland’s new public hospital to refuse voluntary assisted dying care, abortions and contraception for religious reasons

By Emma Pollard and state political reporter Jack McKay
May 20, 2026

The Queensland premier has opened the state's first major new public hospital in almost a decade — at Springfield, south-west of Brisbane — but it will not offer some services for religious reasons.

Mater Hospital Springfield is a 186-bed facility expected to care for around 185,000 patients each year in one of the south-east corner's major growth corridors.

Continued: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-05-20/queensland-new-mater-hospital-springfield-opens/106702558

Australia – Crisafulli faces questions about rebel MP’s bid to put abortion back on agenda

Cloe Read
February 15, 2026

Premier David Crisafulli is again facing questions over the rebel Liberal-National MP who crossed the floor in a bid to reignite the abortion debate in Queensland.

The premier on Sunday said he had spoken to Mackay MP Nigel Dalton, and confirmed he was expected to remain a member of the LNP.

The move by Dalton earlier this week was in support of a Katter’s Australian Party push to reverse a gag introduced by Crisafulli after the 2024 Queensland election, as the premier sought to silence political rivals and shut down moves from his own backbench who wanted to repeal the state’s termination of pregnancy laws.

Continued: https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/crisafulli-faces-questions-about-rebel-mp-s-bid-to-put-abortion-back-on-agenda-20260215-p5o2g5.html

15.02.2026

News

Cameron Dick

David Crisafulli

Katter’s Australia Party

Rebel Queensland LNP MP urges colleagues to ‘put on the full armour of God’ and speak against abortion

Nigel Dalton says he sought to redeem himself ‘in the eyes of God’ by crossing the floor in an attempt to overturn the LNP’s abortion debate gag order

Andrew Messenger
Thu 12 Feb 2026

The rebel Liberal National party Queensland MP Nigel Dalton, who earlier this week defied the state’s premier, David Crisafulli, over the abortion law debate, has encouraged others “to put on the full armour of God” and speak out on the issue.

In an interview posted on YouTube, Dalton told the anti-abortion activist Joanna Howe his “history with anti-abortion has been probably 30-odd years in the making”.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/feb/12/nigel-dalton-mp-queensland-lnp-abortion-ntwnfb

12.02.2026

Australia – To put an end to the abortion wars, we need mass struggle

Issue: 187
1st July 2025
Judy McVey

The global surge of attacks on abortion rights has been a wake-up call for pro-choice activists in Australia.1 In June 2022, thousands rallied in solidarity with women in the United States when Roe v Wade was overturned by the US Supreme Court. Many media commentators argued that Australia was different from the US and abortion rights were safe here. After all, between 2002 and 2023, regional governments around the country removed abortion from criminal laws. Decriminalisation reflected community-wide popularity for legal abortion. Polls show that more than 80 percent of Australians believe “abortion should be legal and available in Australia in all circumstances”; anti-abortion sentiment is generally less than 10 percent.2

However, the bigots do not simply acknowledge defeat and disappear. Anti-abortionists inside and outside mainstream parties in Australia were emboldened by the rise of the far right and anti-abortion politics in the US and Europe.

Continued: https://isj.org.uk/abortion-wars-australia/

Abortion in Queensland in the 21st century

3 February 2025
Caroline de Costa

It is hoped that the incoming Queensland Government keep Queensland on the path to safe and fully accessible reproductive health care for all women and pregnant people within the public sector.

Throughout the 20th century, abortion remained in the criminal legislation of all Australian states and territories, despite efforts to decriminalise laws and provide safe abortion care that began in the 1960s. Only in the 21st century has Australia seen real change in abortion law: from 2000 to 2024, all jurisdictions have decriminalised abortion. Although much remains to be done, there has been improved provision of safe accessible abortion care, including early medical abortion in many parts of the country, lessening of the stigma long associated with abortion, teaching of medical students and doctors about abortion, and promotion and publication of research around the topic.

Continued: https://insightplus.mja.com.au/2025/4/abortion-in-queensland-in-the-21st-century/

Why we should feel hopeful about our reproductive rights

December 22, 2024
Dr Romy Listo

"We can focus on recent election losses and the way they stigmatise our reproductive bodies and rights. Or we can focus on where the progress is happening, and choose ourselves to be part of the change," writes Dr Romy Listo.

It’s been a difficult few months to be a woman or gender diverse person watching elections being fought and lost on abortion rights.

Continued: https://missingperspectives.com/posts/why-we-should-feel-hopeful-about-our-reproductive-rights/

22.12.2024

Opinion

adrienne maree brown

Australian Council of Trade Unions

Queensland parliament passes ‘unprecedented’ gag on abortion debate

Ambush motion, introduced by David Crisafulli, aimed at preventing potential public disunity in LNP ranks by ensuring MPs won’t be forced into a conscience vote

Andrew Messenger
Tue 10 Dec 2024

The Queensland parliament has been banned from debate on abortion for four years after an ambush motion by the premier, David Crisafulli, in a move labelled “unprecedented”.

The motion also requires any “motion or amendment” seeking to have the house “express its views” on abortion be ruled out of order. Opposition and crossbench MPs labelled the move “extraordinary” and “unprecedented”.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/dec/10/queensland-parliament-passes-unprecedented-gag-on-abortion-debate

10.12.2024

News

David Crisafulli

gag on abortion debate

‘We are not the US’: abortion erodes LNP winning margin

By Kat Wong
October 27 2024

Queensland voters have warned the major political parties not to unwind reproductive rights at the looming federal election.

Liberal National Party leader David Crisafulli claimed victory in the Queensland contest on Saturday night, putting an end to Labor's nine-year reign.

The LNP will likely have a majority, but the win was not the landslide opinion polls had predicted.

Continued: https://www.northweststar.com.au/story/8803002/we-are-not-the-us-abortion-erodes-lnp-winning-margin/

27.10.2024

News

David Crisafulli

David Littleproud

Jacinta Nampijinpa Price

Amy-Clare had an abortion. Queensland’s current debate around the issue makes her feel like a criminal

The Brisbane woman was told her baby was unlikely to make it to birth. She says an abortion is painful enough without ill-informed political discussion

Donna Lu
Fri 25 Oct 2024

When Brisbane mother Amy-Clare learned she was pregnant a second time, she almost opted not to undertake prenatal genetic testing. “We were really happy – we really wanted that baby,” she recalls.

Because she already had a healthy first child, Amy-Clare was inclined to believe things would go smoothly the second time. But for peace of mind, her partner talked her into getting the expensive test, which screens for chromosomal disorders early in pregnancy.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/oct/26/queensland-election-abortion-policy-lnp-crisafulli

25.10.2024