Share this @internewscast.com
Greens leader Larissa Waters has demanded several male backbench Coalition MPs, accused of conflating stillbirths and late-term abortions, withdraw from a debate on proposed leave entitlements.
Andrew Hastie, Tony Pasin, Henry Pike and Barnaby Joyce all used speeches in the federal parliament’s Federation Chamber on Wednesday to suggest new laws ensuring women who experience a stillbirth or neonatal death will retain access to maternity leave could have “unintended consequences”.
“Once again, we see a culture war and an anti-choice positioning from the far-right fringe who don’t give a damn about women’s rights in any other context, but are very concerned with what women can do with their own uteruses,” Waters said on Thursday.

“Perhaps they should keep their rosaries away from our ovaries,” remarked Greens leader Larissa Waters, as she criticized the “anti-choice stance” adopted by several backbench Coalition MPs. These MPs have raised concerns about the “unintended consequences” associated with Baby Priya’s Bill. Source: AAP / Mick Tsikas

Woman in green speaks into microphone, accompanied by woman holding a red binder.

The inspiration behind ‘Baby Priya’s Bill’ comes from the heart-wrenching story of a mother who, after informing her employer of her infant daughter Priya’s death at just 42 days old, faced the daunting task of planning an unexpected return to work while still mourning her child.

“It should be available to people who wish to be parents, but for the grace of God, have not become parents through that incident or outcome,” Pasin said.
Joyce said: “The day after a child is born, no matter what medical conditions or impairments that may be there, you have no right to interfere in their life. And therefore, the day before, we believe, is the same.”
But Health Minister Mark Butler has rejected the conflations, defending the definitions in the bill as “very clear” and noting a termination is “very different” to a stillbirth or neonatal death that occurs as a result of a “natural spontaneous event”.
“To try to conflate the two things is, I think, a very cynical, deeply distressing political exercise,” he told ABC’s Afternoon Briefing on Wednesday.

“I believe it is a commendable initiative, and Baby Priya’s Bill warrants our endorsement for that reason,” Waters stated. “While acknowledging the complexities involved, I urge the government to confirm that it does not pertain to late-term abortions.”

“How often, when we’re talking about constraining women’s rights, constraining women’s support through these incredibly important and at times distressing events in their life, it’s men leading the charge? I haven’t heard a Coalition woman go into the chamber and make these arguments,” Butler said.
Liberal senator Jane Hume said she hadn’t heard her colleagues’ contributions delivered in the chamber, but cautioned against the debate being turned into “a political football”.
An Opposition spokesperson told SBS News that while “members of the Liberal and National parties have always had the right to express a view … the Coalition has agreed to the passage of this bill”.
“The bill has gone through its usual processes and had strong support from the party room.”

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Detroit police officer Matthew Jackson during Zoom hearing October 27, 2025.

Unbelievable Blunder: Officer’s Wardrobe Malfunction Goes Viral

A Zoom call took an unexpected turn when a police officer was…
Louvre museum heist

Authorities Capture Five Suspects in Bold Louvre Heist Crackdown

Late Wednesday night, French authorities conducted multiple police operations in Paris and…
CCTV footage of an inmate at Cessnock prison attacking multiple police officers.

Unveiled: Shocking Prison Assault Triggers Massive Officer Walkout – Here’s What Happened

An emergency hearing is currently taking place to compel prison officers in…
Sensitive parliamentary documents handed to private company against risk advice

Controversial Decision: Private Firm Receives Sensitive Parliamentary Documents Despite Security Warnings

Exclusive: Over 100,000 sensitive parliamentary emails and documents were transferred to a…
Suzanne Rees, 80, was reported missing to authorities last Saturday night, when a check of the cruise ship the Coral Adventurer revealed she was missing.

Family Expresses Shock and Sorrow Over Cruise Passenger’s Tragic Passing on Lizard Island

The family of a cruise ship passenger who tragically passed away alone…

Investigation Initiated into Tragic Suicide Linked to Domestic and Sexual Abuse

Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek has announced a parliamentary inquiry into suicide…
UK supergroup Oasis has touched down in Melbourne ahead of the band's anticipated Australian tour.

Oasis Live ’25 Tour: Essential Details and What to Expect

The iconic UK supergroup Oasis has landed in Melbourne, sparking excitement as…
Fraudster cops 14 years' jail for Ponzi rip-off

Ponzi Scheme Mastermind Sentenced to 14 Years in Major Fraud Crackdown

A former laundromat owner who turned to fraudulent financial schemes has been…

Tragic Toll: Over 100 Lives Lost in Recent Gaza Airstrikes, Reports Health Ministry

Israel has killed more than 100 people in a wave of airstrikes…
McCormack Park, Laverton asbestos

Critical Asbestos Discovery Halts $2 Million Park Upgrade in Melbourne’s West

Potentially dangerous asbestos has been uncovered during the $2 million redevelopment of…
U.S. President Donald Trump greets Chinese President Xi Jinping ahead of a bilateral meeting at Gimhae Air Base on October 30, 2025 in Busan, South Korea.

Trump and Xi Reunite After Six-Year Hiatus: Global Anticipation Builds Over Trade War Developments

Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump have kicked off…
Australian and New Zealand radio presenter and media leader Kim Blair (pictured) died on Tuesday aged 54, just five months after being diagnosed with an aggressive form of colon cancer

Renowned Australian Radio Icon Passes Away at 54 Following Battle with Aggressive Cancer

Kim Blair, a prominent radio presenter and influential media figure from Australia…