Health Minister Mark Butler has condemned attempts by several backbench Coalition MPs to "conflate" stillbirths and late-term abortions in the context of proposed leave entitlements, as amounting to "deeply cynical politicking".
Andrew Hastie, Tony Pasin, Henry Pike and Barnaby Joyce all used speeches in the federation chamber of parliament 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".
'Baby Priya's Bill' was spurred by the case of a mother, who, after informing her employer of 11 years that her infant daughter Priya had died at just 42 days old, was faced with negotiating a return-to-work timeline she hadn't planned for — while simultaneously grieving her loss.
It introduces a new principle into the Fair Work Act that employer-funded paid parental leave must not be cancelled because a child is stillborn or dies, attracting bipartisan commitment before the last election.
Employment Minister Amanda Rishworth said its purpose is to "ensure there is greater clarity regarding employer-funded paid parental leave for parents dealing with the tragedy of stillbirth or the death of a child" and give "certainty to grieving parents at the most difficult time of their life".
In 2022, more than 3,000 families lost a child to stillbirth or within the first 28 days of their birth, according to data by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare released in July.
Hastie affirmed the "intent" of the bill in principle, but said he felt it necessary to question its potential "unintended consequences" — a claim also made against the Stillborn Baby Payment.
"This place is a place where we can come, and we can express views according to conscience. And it's no secret that I'm opposed to late-term abortions," he said.
"I think it's a noble and good thing and Baby Priya's Bill deserves our support for that reason … I note the sensitivity around this, but I do call upon the government to clarify that it does not apply to late-term abortions."
"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 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.
"The men who are doing this — and they're all men — know the difference between stillbirth and abortion."
"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."
