Will Liberals and Nationals defy Peter Dutton to stand for the born alive bill?

The Greens are preparing to force a showdown in the Senate over the Human Rights (Children Born Alive Protection) Bill, a critical piece of legislation championed by Senators Matt Canavan and Alex Antic and supported by Family First.

This bill seeks to ensure that children born alive after failed abortions receive medical care – a measure that aligns with basic human rights.

But will the Coalition senators stand firm, or will they capitulate to their leader, Peter Dutton, who has issued a gag order on abortion debates?

Greens Senator Larissa Waters plans to move a procedural motion on 26 November to have the Canavan-Antic bill discharged from the Senate notice paper. She claims this bill represents “a thinly veiled attack on women’s rights,” framing it as an issue of controlling women rather than protecting vulnerable lives.

By calling this motion, Waters aims to expose divisions within the Coalition and put pressure on senators to either defy Dutton or abandon the bill.

Peter Dutton’s insistence that abortion is a state issue and his call for “discipline” in the lead-up to a federal election raises serious questions. For a start, it is not true – as funding of abortion is decided by the Federal Parliament.

Are Coalition MPs willing to sacrifice their principles to maintain party unity? Or will they stand against the Greens’ attempts to stifle debate on such a fundamental issue?

Family First’s three Senate candidates—Lyle Shelton in NSW, Bernie Finn in Victoria and Christopher Brohier in SA are running to ensure there are strong voices for life in the next Parliament. A Queensland Senate candidate will also be announced shortly, reinforcing Family First’s commitment to defending the most vulnerable Australians.

Family First calls on Coalition senators to defy Dutton’s gag order and support the Canavan-Antic bill.

Australians deserve to know where their representatives stand on the basic right to life. This issue transcends politics – it’s a question of humanity.

Will the Liberals and Nationals rise to the occasion?

Lyle Shelton is National Director of the Family First Party. He started his career as a rural journalist before being elected as a member of the Toowoomba City Council and serving the Australian Christian Lobby for 10 years, half of that decade as ACL's Managing Director. He was a Director and spokesman for the Coalition for Marriage during the 2017 postal survey campaign which resulted in the legal undefinition of marriage. He also blogs here.