NSW Abortion Policy Debate
NSW One Nation Leader Mike Newman Pushes Tighter Abortion Restrictions Ahead of Election
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Key Points
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Newman is running for the Hunter Valley seat of Cessnock despite not living in the region, and he spent most of his adult life in Japan. He was unveiled as One Nation’s NSW leader only late last month.
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The rally was organised by Joanna Howe, a University of Adelaide law professor and prominent anti-abortion campaigner, who introduced Newman as the “next premier of New South Wales.” Howe has also been criticised for attempting to “Americanise” the NSW abortion debate and for using what one South Australian deputy premier called “Trumpian” tactics.
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Federal One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce spoke at a similar rally in June and said backing the sex-selection bill could make him politically unpopular, but that it was nevertheless “the right thing to do.”
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Labor’s upper-house leader Penny Sharpe opposed John Ruddick’s bill, saying it would return abortion access to the criminal framework and that there was no direct evidence the problem it purported to address was occurring in NSW.
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The bill backed by Newman and presented at the rally is expected to fail, with reporting describing its passage as “almost certain” not to occur.
Mike Newman, One Nation's new NSW leader and Cessnock candidate, sparked backlash after calling for tight abortion controls at an anti-abortion rally Sydney Morning Herald. He later walked back his comments, saying he misspoke and that One Nation only targets late-term abortions and sex-selective terminations The Guardian. The clarification came as Labor and Greens politicians warned the proposal would push abortion back into the criminal justice system.
Newman is running for Cessnock in the Hunter Valley despite not living there. He spent most of his adult life in Japan and was unveiled as One Nation's NSW leader just last month Sydney Morning Herald. The rally was organized by Joanna Howe, a University of Adelaide law professor and anti-abortion campaigner, who introduced Newman as the "next premier of New South Wales."
The Backtracking and the Policy Details
Newman initially appeared to call for ending abortion rights altogether at the rally Sydney Morning Herald. He then clarified that One Nation backs a bill banning sex-selective abortions and would impose prison terms on doctors who perform them The Guardian. However, sex selection is already prohibited under NSW Health policy, and a 2019–20 review found only 13 flagged cases among 15,973 terminations—most likely reporting errors.
Political Allies and the "Americanization" Debate
Federal One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce spoke at a similar rally in June, saying backing the sex-selection bill could cost him politically but was "the right thing to do" Brisbane Times. Howe has faced criticism for attempting to "Americanize" the NSW abortion debate and using what one South Australian deputy premier called "Trumpian" tactics Sydney Morning Herald. Critics say she is importing American-style abortion politics into Australia.
Labor and Greens Oppose the Bill
Labor's upper-house leader Penny Sharpe said the proposal would return abortion to the criminal framework The Age. She argued there is no direct evidence the problem even exists in NSW. The bill is expected to fail, with reporting describing its passage as "almost certain" not to occur WAtoday. Both Labor and Greens say the move would restrict reproductive rights without addressing any real problem.
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