Liberal women react with ‘horror’ to abortion comments from Coalition colleagues

<p>Jane Hume says politicians should not be using straightforward legislation as a ‘Trojan horse’ for personal opinions</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2025/nov/05/australia-politics-live-nauru-deportations-labor-greens-coalition-anthony-albanese-sussan-ley-nationals-leadership-net-zero-question-time-ntwnfb">Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates</a></p></li><li><p>Get our <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters?CMP=cvau_sfl">breaking news email</a>, <a href="https://app.adjust.com/w4u7jx3">free app</a> or <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/series/full-story?CMP=cvau_sfl">daily news podcast</a></p></li></ul><p>Concerns from conservative Coalition MPs including Andrew Hastie and Barnaby Joyce about paid parental leave applying to late-term abortions elicited “a bit of horror” from women in the party, according to Jane Hume, as Sussan Ley and senior figures rejected the claims from rightwing figures.</p><p>Ley branded as “insensitive” concerns raised by some colleagues about the potential for women to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/oct/30/abortion-stillbirth-leave-barnaby-joyce-andrew-hastie-playing-politics">seek late-term abortions</a> in order to access paid parental leave. The shadow minister for women, Melissa McIntosh, said: “I’ve never heard of a woman doing that.”</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/nov/05/coalition-mps-abortion-comments-horror-from-liberal-women">Continue reading...</a>