August 19, 2022
Victoria’s Labor Party has voted down Fiona Patten’s Health Legislation Amendment (Conscientious Objection) Bill which aimed to expand abortion access by preventing publicly funded hospitals from refusing to perform abortions.
The bill would have also forced all taxpayer-funded hospitals – including those with religious affiliations – to perform euthanasia.
The Victorian Labor Party was joined by the opposition in voting down the bill 28-7 on Wednesday.
Ms Patten – who is the leader of the Reason Party – claimed the outcome was a “win for religious ideology.”
“Right now, woman and gender diverse people in Australia need to know that the government has their back in regards to reproductive rights and in regards to assisted dying,” she said.
“And the opposition and the government did not give them that assurance today.”
The MPs who joined Ms Patten in voting in favour of the bill included Animal Justice MP Andy Meddick, Victorian Greens Leader Samantha Ratnam, Sustainable Australia MP Clifford Hayes, Transport Matters MP Rod Barton, and Justice Party MPs Stuart Grimley and Tania Maxwell.
