Barnaby Joyce and Andrew Hastie rebuked for 'playing politics' on abortion in debate on stillbirth leave

Controversy Surrounds Stillbirth Leave Bill as Coalition MPs Question Its Scope

A proposed law giving paid parental leave to parents of stillborn or deceased children has been at the center of controversy in Australian parliament, with some Coalition MPs questioning whether it would extend to late-term abortions. The bill, known as "Priya's law," aims to provide financial support to families who experience a miscarriage after 20 weeks of gestation.

Critics argue that politicians like Barnaby Joyce and Andrew Hastie are "playing politics" on the issue, raising concerns about the impact on women's reproductive rights. Senior doctors and academics have denounced such comments as "terrible, cynical, and awful," highlighting the emotional toll of a late-term abortion on parents.

The bill has bipartisan support, but some Coalition MPs have raised reservations about its scope. Tony Pasin and Henry Pike, both Liberal MPs, expressed concerns that the law would treat an intentionally terminated pregnancy in the same way as a natural stillbirth or a baby who dies shortly after birth. Pasin argued that paid parental leave should be available to parents who had wished to become pregnant but were unable due to circumstances, rather than those seeking termination.

Experts argue that such fearmongering is "straight out of the anti-abortion handbook" and has no basis in reality. According to Kirsten Black, a professor of sexual and reproductive health at the University of Sydney, late-term abortions are often performed for medical reasons, such as genetic syndromes or major fetal abnormalities.

Labor MP Jerome Laxale defended the bill, emphasizing that it is about fixing a loophole in existing law identified by Priya's grieving parents. Shadow Health Minister Anne Ruston declined to endorse claims made by her colleagues but reiterated the Coalition's commitment to supporting the bill.

Critics warn that this kind of rhetoric may be part of a broader effort to politicize reproductive rights and chip away at access to safe abortion services in Australia. As Prudence Flowers, a Flinders University senior lecturer, noted, this is a "thin edge of the wedge" tactic often used by anti-abortion advocates in the United States.

Ultimately, the controversy surrounding Priya's law highlights the need for nuanced discussion about reproductive rights and access to healthcare in Australia.

This whole debate around Priya's law is just so frustrating . I mean, can't we just focus on supporting families who've lost a child, no matter how they came to be pregnant? It feels like some people are already trying to spin this as an attack on women's reproductive rights before the bill even passes .

I'm so tired of politicians playing devil's advocate for publicity stunts . Can't we trust that well-intentioned MPs would actually support something that helps people in need? It's not like this is a partisan issue; it's just basic human decency . I wish more people were having a rational conversation about how to support families through difficult times, rather than trying to score points .

And honestly, if you're really concerned about the scope of the law, maybe take some time to understand what Priya's law actually is and what it aims to achieve . It's not rocket science; it just says that families who lose a child after 20 weeks should get support . Is that too much to ask?

I'm so frustrated with how this conversation around Priya's law is going. It feels like some people are more concerned with using this bill as a way to score points on the abortion debate rather than actually supporting families who've experienced a stillbirth or late-term loss.

I think we need to focus on what this bill is really about: providing financial support and emotional support to parents who've lost a child. It's not about taking away anyone's reproductive rights, it's about acknowledging that pregnancy loss can be just as traumatic as birth loss. Let's not let the politics get in the way of our compassion for these families.

The fact that some MPs are using scare tactics to imply that this bill is somehow linked to abortion is just appalling. It's a totally different conversation, and we shouldn't have to spend so much time talking about it.

Can't we just agree on providing support for families who've lost a child, regardless of how they came to be pregnant? Let's not make this more complicated than it needs to be.

I'm low-key worried about how the whole debate around Priya's law is playing out . Coalition MPs are basically using emotional manipulation to try and discredit a bill that's actually trying to support families who've experienced a traumatic loss . It's like they're trying to make people think this is somehow related to abortion, when it's really just about providing some basic financial security for parents who've lost a child .

I mean, can't we just focus on supporting families in need without using fear-mongering tactics? It's so annoying how politicians are always trying to one-up each other on social issues. Can't they just work together to create some actual change for once?

Ugh, can you believe the Coalition MPs are trying to twist this stillbirth leave bill into a debate about abortion? It's like they're not even listening to Priya's story or the emotional toll it takes on parents who lose their babies late in pregnancy. The fact that they're comparing an intentionally terminated pregnancy to a natural stillbirth is just ridiculous . It's like, no one gets paid leave for giving birth if the baby dies right after birth, so why should we assume they don't deserve support when it happens later? And honestly, the anti-abortion rhetoric is super concerning - it feels like they're trying to take away access to safe abortion services in Australia. We need to be having a nuanced discussion about reproductive rights, not getting dragged into a debate that's all over the place .

I'm so frustrated with these politicians playing devil's advocate on this one . They're using Priya's law as a wedge issue to stir up controversy instead of focusing on supporting families who've experienced a late-term abortion . The fact that some Coalition MPs are questioning the scope of the bill is just ridiculous . Can't they see how hurtful and unnecessary it is to even bring up the possibility of terminating a pregnancy in this context? It's all about playing politics, not providing support for families who need it most . Let's focus on fixing loopholes in existing law instead of using emotional manipulation . This kind of rhetoric can only lead to more division and less understanding . We need more empathy and compassion in our politicians, not less .

I think its crazy that some Coalition MPs are trying to turn this into an abortion debate . It's just about giving support to parents who lose a child, not about making it easy for people to terminate pregnancies. They need to focus on the facts and stop playing politics with people's lives . The law is clear - it's about providing financial support for families who experience a stillbirth after 20 weeks of gestation, nothing more .