As the Premier of NSW, as well as a professing Roman Catholic, can I respectfully urge you to please protect the lives of unborn children as well as the religious freedom of those who are committed to doing so.
An estimated crowd of approximately 10,000 people protested outside NSW Parliament House on Wednesday night, May 7, against the proposed legislation. In contrast, a counter rally of less than 50 people also gathered to show their support. Are you really going to completely ignore so many people?
Despite your repeated promises, the government that you lead is now actively facilitating a private member’s bill by a Greens MP. As you would be aware, this piece of legislation would empower the Minister for Health to require all hospitals to provide abortions as well as remove all data keeping requirements.
Can I please remind you, Premier, as to what you said in a speech to the Maronite Catholic Society Annual Fundraising Gala Dinner on Friday, March 28, 2025. In particular, you explicitly stated:
I think it’s important that I do address some of the community consternation relating to a minor party bill currently before the House concerning conscientious objection in the provision of abortion.
I want to make it clear to everybody that I do not support this change, will not support this change and will not vote for it.
I also want to say, given all of the medical establishment, the major medical bodies in New South Wales oppose these changes, I do not expect it to pass the Upper House, let alone pass it into law.
The reason I say that is because religious freedom is not just about observance of your faith on weekends at church.
It’s being able to live a Christian life in your community, in your profession, in your family, with your friends.
In such a short period of time, you now appear to be reneging of what you have clearly promised. As the Premier of NSW and Leader of the Labor Party, you have a responsibility to uphold the sanctity of human life. Abortion in Australia is legal up until birth, and yet this bill by the Greens would extend its application even further.
What’s more, championing this bill will not only lead to an exodus of health workers due to their conscience concerns over the issue, but you will be directly undermining the religious freedom of a sizeable number of people in your state.
As the Hon. Susan Carter said in her speech to Parliament, up to 25 per cent of midwifery staff at a major Sydney public hospital are preparing to leave if this bill becomes law. What’s more, in practical terms, this will only increase access problems for women rather than improve them.
Freedom of conscience and especially freedom of religion is something which, as you yourself rightly said, extends beyond being able to go to church on the weekend, but to be able to practice one’s faith throughout the rest of the week as well.
As you know, when the Greens tried to introduce a similar bill in Victoria, the Premier Jacinta Allan did not allow the Labor Party to have a conscience vote. Which means you cannot hide behind the excuse that it is not in keeping with national party policy to completely oppose it.
I do not say this lightly Premier, but as a Christian pastor and especially to yourself as someone who claims to follow Jesus, can I remind you what the Bible says in Proverbs 6:16-19:
There are six things that the LORD hates,
seven that are an abomination to him:
haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
and hands that shed innocent blood,
a heart that devises wicked plans,
feet that make haste to run to evil,
a false witness who breathes out lies,
and one who sows discord among brothers.
There is going to come a day when we will all appear before the judgment seat of God. Just as surely as there will be a time when you are no longer in political office. Therefore can I sincerely call on you to do what is right by defending the religious convictions of your citizens and the unborn lives of future generations in our nation.