A Greens senator has told a conservative colleague to get his hands off "his rosaries and her ovaries" before the upper house sunk his motion about abortion.
Nationals senator Barry O'Sullivan on Monday moved a motion calling for pro-choice activists to be banned from disrupting annual Day of the Unborn Child observations.
The Australian Greens' Larissa Waters told Senator O'Sullivan he should be ashamed of himself, saying he would never understand women's choices.
"Senator O'Sullivan needs to get his hands and his rosaries off my ovaries and those of the 10,000 Queensland women who have an abortion each year," Senator Waters told parliament.
She later withdrew the remark after conservative Tasmanian Eric Abetz called for her to take it back because it reflected on Senator O'Sullivan's religion.
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The motion noted the hypocrisy of "pro-abortion" activists complaining about pro-life group activities near abortion clinics while also protesting at the pro-choice gathering.
While a handful of government senators voted for the motion after being given a conscience vote, many abstained from the division which was lost 32 to 12 in the 76-member chamber.
Labor sided with the Greens, arguing it was a complex issue that shouldn't be dealt with by a simple vote.
Soon after, Senator O'Sullivan took the unusual step of stopping Senator Waters from moving a separate motion congratulating Queensland for recently legalising abortion.
The two senators represent Queensland.
