The anti-abortion activist Joanna Howe says she put pressure on the South Australian MP Jing Lee to back out of a voting deal on controversial “forced birth” legislation that proposed changes to the state’s abortion laws.
But Howe also said she was not certain Lee was referring to her when the Liberal MLC described an “external visitor” that made her feel “pressured”, “unsafe” and “vulnerable” on the night of the vote, 16 October.
“We don’t know if that’s me, she didn’t name me,” Howe told ABC Radio.
It comes as South Australia’s Legislative Council president, Terry Stephens, is considering complaints about claims Howe attempted to “inappropriately influence the voting of members” on the bill, which was proposed by the Liberal MLC Ben Hood.
Hood credited Howe as the “legal lead” on the legislation during his speech. Howe, a workplace law professor at the University of Adelaide, described herself on ABC radio on Wednesday as its “public face”.
On Wednesday 16 October, the state parliament’s upper house narrowly voted down legislation that would force South Australians seeking an abortion after 27 weeks and six days to instead be induced, give birth, then either keep or adopt out the baby.
Such late abortions are extremely rare and only done when there is significant risk to the mother or foetal abnormalities.
The proposed laws were defeated by 10 votes to nine, after the debate descended into chaos when pairs offered to the Liberal MLC Michelle Lensink – who was against the bill, but absent while undergoing breast cancer treatment – were withdrawn.
Lee, who was in favour of the legislation, was slated to offer a pair for Lensink, to offset Lensink’s absence, but withdrew the offer before the vote.
A visibly distressed Lee told parliament on Tuesday she was under “tremendous stress”, and apologised for the “misunderstanding, confusion and stress” affecting Lensink and others.
“What people may not realise was my unexpected encounter with a very persistent visitor,” she said.
“It is important for honourable members to know that I have never had any prior dealings with or met this individual before that evening; however, the person seemed to be knowledgable about every member of the Legislative Council. The encounter with this external visitor made me feel very vulnerable on the night.
“For those who care to know, I have been traumatised by the incident last Wednesday night. I have suffered from a lack of sleep and continue to experience anxiety.
“Unfortunately I felt unsafe and not supported that evening. Bullying, harassment and intimidation by external parties as well as those working in this place is not appropriate or acceptable under any circumstances,” she told parliament.
Lee continued: “The situation last Wednesday was escalated to have an external person attempting to inappropriately influence the voting of members.”
Lee welcomed Stephens’ earlier announcement he would consider complaints about the behaviour of visitors during the debate, and could take actions including barring individuals from the chamber.
Howe told ABC Radio on Wednesday she was “shocked” when she first heard that Lee had offered a pair because “there is no obligation to pair on a conscience vote”.
It is a longstanding convention to pair on all votes, including conscience votes.
When asked on ABC Radio whether she pressured Lee to renege on the voting deal, Howe responded: “I did.”
Howe said she tried to call Lee, then ran into her. She said they went into a members’ area in Parliament House.
“I said, if you pair out, some of those babies that could be saved if this bill passes, won’t be saved … then I said to her, I have a public platform.
“I have a voice over two and a half years on social media and speaking in the public eye about this issue of abortion, which I’m very passionate about, and I’m passionate about raising awareness. There’s 120,000 people that follow me on my email database, and I speak to them every day.
“And I said, if you pair with [Lensink], you will be the reason [the bill] doesn’t proceed to committee stage. You will have neutralised the power of your vote, and I will hold you to account in the public square.
“And I speak to preselectors, because many Liberal party preselectors who vote on this follow me, and I know how pro-life that membership is, and I think it will affect your preselection.”
Howe said after Lee agreed not to pair, they hugged and took a selfie, and that Lee later thanked her for the conversation.
Howe also claimed she had “done this very same thing to Senator Maria Kovacic in New South Wales” by calling on the Liberal party to dump her.
“It was very successful,” Howe said.
Kovacic has not been dumped.
Several MPs have said that Howe, who was in the president’s gallery during the vote, yelled at the Liberal MLC Dennis Hood to come back and vote for the bill when he absented himself as pair for Lensink.
Howe, whose website states that her goal is “to make abortion unthinkable”, has called a series of high-profile women who opposed the legislation “baby killers”.
She also doubled down on that on Wednesday. “Sue me for defamation, and I will win, because it’s true,” she said.
The Labor MLC Ian Hunter, who made one of the complaints, told parliament he had complained about the behaviour of “Miss Howe” in the chamber and asked Lee to help Stephens by naming the person who intimidated her and made her feel “unsafe and vulnerable”.
Lee did not, but the Greens leader, Tammy Franks, rose and asked Stephens directly if he would consider Lee’s explanation as part of his inquiries and whether he would “clarify whether that complaint involves the behaviour of Prof Joanna Howe”.
“Indeed it does,” Stephens said.
“I will be making a statement again to this chamber before the end of this sitting week with regard to the course of action, and that is appropriate.”
The premier, Peter Malinauskas, said in parliament that something was “seriously wrong” when someone’s preselection was threatened on whether or not they would honour a pair.
“What dark forces are infiltrating the Liberal party to result in an increasingly extreme view that will allow this outcome to occur?” he asked.
Guardian Australia has contacted Howe for comment.
