The results of the Queensland election are in, and while the Liberal National Party have secured a comfortable majority government, it was hardly the landslide its party, and previous polling, had predicted.
While we know state results are rarely indicative of federal movements or implications, the lead up to this election took an unexpected turn when Robbie Katter announced his plans to pull-back the state’s abortion laws if the LNP claimed victory. Suddenly, the topic of abortion was back on the state agenda, whether the LNP’s incoming premiere wanted it to be, or not.
What we can draw from the Labor shortfall and Greens losses in the Queensland election, is that a campaign of fear-mongering has provided enough of a winning formula for the LNP to retake government after a decade in opposition. And, in an era of Trumpian half-truths and scare-tactic success – particularly evident in the definitive referendum results seen across the Sunshine State – the path to political power is still one fraught with exploitation of information.
So what can we expect to see from the incoming premier and his LNP party, and what bearing does the resurgence of reproductive rights in the Queensland political landscape, have in reality?
The LNP’s Stance On Abortion Rights
In the leadup to the 2024 Queensland election, David Crisafulli faced questions in relation to a potential repeal of the state’s abortion legislation.
Crisafulli had previously voted against the state’s 2018 decriminalisation of abortion, but in the final campaign debate before the Queensland election, announced his support of a woman’s right to choose.
Attempting to quash public outcry over conservative MP Robbie Katter’s promise to put his failed private member’s bill back on the political table, Crisafulli denied his party was entertaining the idea, but also failed to decisively rule out a conscious vote on the matter.
Despite the outcome, one of the most concerning factors for individuals in the Sunshine State, and perhaps the nation as a whole, is the fact that abortion has once again become the topic of debate.
Prof Deborah Bateson, a clinician researcher and female reproductive health expert at the Daffodil Centre shared her opinion on the resurgence of reproductive health as a point of political contention, pointing out that late term abortions are “never, ever decisions that are taken lightly.”
Further, states Bateson, if abortion were to be criminalised again it could lead to an increase in unsafe abortions. “We’ve seen that in the United States.”
“To think that we could have [a] retrograde step back is a very shocking thing for reproductive rights in Australia, but it does show that we can’t take things for granted.”
Whether Katter will make good on his promise to set in motion a process to repeal abortion legislation now that the LNP have regained government, is yet to be seen.
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