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David Crisafulli puts stop to abortion debate with ‘highly unusual’ gag on parliament

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David Crisafulli has revealed the solution to his abortion problem. (AAP: Jono Searle)

Nothing proved more of a headache for David Crisafulli on the election campaign trail than abortion.

It was an issue Labor tried to wedge the LNP leader on as he made his bid to become Queensland's 41st premier.

The former Labor government decriminalised abortion in 2018. At the time, all but three LNP MPs voted against the reforms — including Mr Crisafulli.

In the lead-up to the recent election, Labor raised the spectre of the LNP winding back the legislation and re-criminalising abortion if it won office.

It campaigned hard on the issue, despite Mr Crisafulli repeatedly insisting his party would make no changes to abortion laws and that it wasn't part of the LNP's plan.

Mr Crisafulli and his candidates stuck steadfast to their messaging, even if it created awkward encounters as they navigated questions from reporters.

The one question the LNP leader struggled to answer, though, was whether his MPs would get a conscience vote on abortion if the crossbench put forward a repeal bill.

Changing the rules

How could he guarantee there would be no changes to abortion laws if such a bill was introduced, as the Katter's Australian Party promised to do?

This week we found out the answer.

In a surprise move, the newly elected premier moved a motion that changed the rules of parliament to essentially gag MPs from any debate on abortion laws.

More specifically, MPs were banned from amending the Termination of Pregnancy Act or debating any motion that allowed the parliament to express a view on the law over the next four years.

It was a tactical parliamentary manoeuvre that Mr Crisafulli declared would put an end to suggestions his government would alter abortion laws.

"Today, those opposite are exposed for the disgraceful campaign they ran," he said, in a jab at the opposition.

David Crisafulli puts stop to abortion debate with 'highly unusual' gag on parliament

Cameron Dick accused the premier of trying to silence MPs. (AAP: Jono Searle)

It prompted a fierce response from Labor, with deputy leader Cameron Dick accusing the premier of being "weak" and silencing MPs.

"You cannot have a conscience under Premier Crisafulli," he said. 

"You cannot have a voice, and you cannot have a say because he will stop you."

Ultimately, the motion makes good on the premier's pledge to make no changes to abortion laws. 

But the way it was done was certainly unorthodox and out of the ordinary.

'Highly unusual' political move

According to Griffith University political expert Paul Williams, the motion was "at least highly unusual" and "almost certainly unprecedented".

David Crisafulli puts stop to abortion debate with 'highly unusual' gag on parliament

Graeme Orr says it shows the premier has his MPs "falling in line" — at least for now.  (Supplied)

Graeme Orr, a law professor from the University of Queensland, also described the motion as "unprecedented in a way".

"This is just a symbolic way of the government saying, 'Hey, look how serious we are'," he said.

"What it did show is that Crisafulli has got all his [MPs] falling in line on this issue, at least at the moment."

Moves like this highlight the all-or-nothing nature of Queensland's political system.

Winner takes all

We are the only state in Australia with a unicameral parliament where voters elect MPs to just one chamber.

Is Queensland the cowboy state?

Photo shows A man stands on the bitumen with outback landscape behind him with a cowboy hat

David Crisafulli puts stop to abortion debate with 'highly unusual' gag on parliament

With the abortion debate making Queensland's election campaign national news, many Australians might be thinking 'cowboy' is a label applying to more than just supporters of the NRL team, writes Matt Eaton.

There is no upper house or chamber of review.

It means if the government of the day has a clear majority in the sole remaining chamber, there is very little they can't do.

The winner takes it all.

This type of motion could likely be moved in the lower houses of other state parliaments.

But it would be much harder to put such constraints on an upper house, where it's tougher for the government to hold the numbers.

'Legislation by executive'

Beyond this motion, the LNP government has quickly adjusted to its new position of power and control of the parliament as it pushes ahead with its election agenda.

For example, in just one day it passed a bill to repeal the state's Path to Treaty Act and established an infrastructure body responsible for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

David Crisafulli puts stop to abortion debate with 'highly unusual' gag on parliament

The LNP government has quickly adjusted to its new position of power and control of the parliament as it pushes ahead with its election agenda. (AAP: Darren England)

Both were election commitments, but the legislation was not subject to any committee process or consultation before it was rushed through parliament.

Youth justice laws pass in Queensland

Photo shows a woman in a park

David Crisafulli puts stop to abortion debate with 'highly unusual' gag on parliament

Hardline youth justice law changes to sentence young offenders as adults for more than a dozen serious crimes pass Queensland parliament.

And in only two weeks, the government fast-tracked the passage of its new youth crime laws, which featured its signature "adult crime, adult time" commitment.

This time there was a committee review, but the process was significantly sped up.

Again, this fulfilled the LNP's election pledge to get the laws in place by Christmas. 

However, it was made much easier by Queensland's unique parliamentary system.

Dr Williams suggested governments of both political persuasions have used the unicameral parliament to their advantage for a long time.

"We have legislation by executive, not legislature," he said.

Opposition bench

As the LNP settles into office, Labor MPs are adjusting to their new life on the opposition benches — something none of them have ever experienced.

This week, there was a split amongst Labor MPs as they decided how to vote on the government's crime laws.

The ABC understands that at a caucus meeting on Monday, Labor MPs determined by a narrow margin to oppose the laws.

However, this changed at a subsequent meeting held on Thursday, in the hours before the vote in parliament — with a decision made to ultimately back the LNP's legislation.

It's understood several MPs still expressed a desire for Labor to oppose the laws during the robust meeting.

This included high-profile backbencher Jonty Bush, who is now weighing up her future in the party.

Labor will likely face more conundrums like this over the coming term as it picks up the pieces from its election loss and attempts to set itself up for a comeback in 2028.

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