Women's reproductive rights won't come undone under a coalition government, an opposition senator has confirmed, as the culture war over abortion reignites.
Pregnancy termination has emerged as one of the biggest issues in the Queensland and US presidential elections as politicians threaten access to the medical procedure.
Coalition senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price has taken the fight to Australia's national stage after saying late-term abortion is akin to "infanticide" and urging other members of the opposition not to shy away from the issue.
But opposition finance spokeswoman Jane Hume poured cold water on suggestions the federal coalition would change abortion laws, maintaining reproductive rights had always been an issue of conscience within the Liberal Party.
"A Dutton-led coalition government has no plans, no policy and no interest in unwinding women's reproductive rights," she told Sky News on Wednesday.
"It has been an issue raised by fringe parties in a state election, it is not an issue for federal politics."
Abortion is legal in every Australian state and territory but its access has come under attack in recent weeks.
In South Australia, a proposal to ban pregnancy terminations after 28 weeks was shut down by a single vote on Thursday, and in Queensland, a state crossbencher announced he would introduce a bill to repeal abortion laws before walking back his proposal to "born alive" legislation.
Similar proposals have appeared at Parliament House, with Liberal senator Alex Antic, Nationals politician Matt Canavan and United Australia senator Ralph Babet bringing a controversial private senators' bill in 2022 that claimed to protect babies "born alive" after late-term abortions.
The legislation was widely opposed by peak medical bodies like the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) and the Women's Sexual and Reproductive Health Coalition for infringing on rights to essential healthcare.
Pregnancy terminations after 20 weeks are extremely rare, comprising about one per cent of all abortions and generally only occur in situations when foetuses are late-diagnosed with major issues like genetic syndromes, or when continuing the pregnancy would be significantly detrimental to a woman's mental or physical health, a RANZCOG parliamentary inquiry submission said.
Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie said her colleagues were entitled to their opinions and acknowledged that she had voted for the bill, but noted abortion was a "sensitive topic".
"I do think it is a moral dilemma that we, in this country, seek to save the lives of babies born very prematurely in some cases and not in others," Senator McKenzie told ABC radio on Wednesday.
"But I'm not in the business of judging people's decisions."
Deputy opposition leader Sussan Ley also confirmed the federal Liberals had "no intention of changing the settings" on abortion and said it was a state issue.
