The lack of empathy and understanding here is genuinely shocking. Who could fail to feel deeply for parents enduring the heartbreak of losing a baby? Apparently Barnaby Joyce and his Coalition mates can.
Baby Priya’s Bill was about giving grieving parents certainty and compassion — a small measure of humanity in the face of tragedy. Instead, Barnaby Joyce, Andrew Hastie and others twisted it into a culture war talking point, misrepresenting its intent and exploiting heartbreak for political gain.
In doing so, they’ve drawn a very long bow just to score a cheap political point — and in the process, they’ve shown exactly how low they’re willing to go.
Late-term abortions are extremely rare in Australia — around 1% of all abortions — and are carried out only for heartrending reasons, often involving serious risks to the mother or fatal conditions for the baby. To use those cases to whip up fear and division is not just dishonest, it’s cruel.
Barnaby Joyce and Andrew Hastie need to get out of the way and let the Senate pass this much-needed Bill. Their behaviour is deeply offensive to women. They are targeting women when they are grieving and at their most vulnerable — it’s unconscionable.
It’s no surprise then that the Coalition is losing the women’s vote. Who do these men think they are — to lecture, to shame, and to twist the truth while showing so little compassion?
The Coalition boyz’ behaviour shows a stunning lack of decency and empathy. This isn’t leadership — it’s a disgrace.
Denise McHugh is an experienced educator in Tamworth. She is Deputy President of the NSW/ACT Independent Education Union and Chair of the NSW ALP Education and Skills Committee.
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Lnp don’t have empathy except for billionaires not being able to dig up the country for profit
Ellen Maree You do realise that without digging up resources this country collapses? We don’t do anything else.
Completely biased propaganda. The original bill has a beautiful intention, but it is a major issue to be forcing private employers to pay women for late term abortions. Barnaby and Hastie have done the right thing to call out this unbelievable loophole that the ALP is unwilling to close. And, contrary to this article, we have statistics that show that the majority of late term abortions take place on healthy viable babies where mum’s life is NOT at risk (generally psychosocial reasons).
Thank you for this compassionate letter.
Very well stated and one with compassion . Thank you Denise.
Horrible, stupid pair. Beggars belief that anyone could vote for either.
Alison Armstrong they will get plenty of votes from the intelligent people.👍👍
Gundy Hunt from morons….fixed it for you.
Brett Rainbow Barnaby has done a lot up here in his electorate, he romped it in at the last few elections.
Gundy Hunt If you call being constantly drunk and fucking anything that moves …. doing a lot….mmmm k then.
Gundy Hunt he won’t be romping it in next election.
Brett Rainbow you probably won’t either.😂😂
Gundy Hunt please enlighten us, what has Barnaby done for his area?
Amy Crawford-McCosker for a complete list contact Barnaby’s office.👍👍
You can’t list them here?
Well worded
Ok so where is the rest of the story. Bit light on for me to be making any decisions about anyones future. What happened to the child? What was said by the pollies. More information required
Alethea Grills yes anyone looking at this wanting to know the whole story is surely disappointed in this article. Where IS the rest of the story?
Phebe Furneaux Linked from the opinion piece. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/oct/30/abortion-stillbirth-leave-barnaby-joyce-andrew-hastie-playing-politics
Alethea Grillshttps://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/baby-priya-brought-compassion-to-the-parliament-then-four-men-hijacked-the-debate-20251031-p5n6s7.html
Alethea Grills Priya’s bill is named for baby Priya who died when she was just 42 days old. Her mum was forced to negotiate a return to work at a time when she was mourning the death of her child. (The mum would have been on maternity leave if the child had lived) Priya’s Bill, if it is made law, aims to make it illegal for paid parental leave to be cancelled for parents that have a stillborn baby or a baby that dies shortly after birth. Joyce and three others made comments recently about the bill potentially allowing women to get late term abortions and still be covered by its provisions and refusing to support the bill.
Leitha Hyde thank you for telling me the details. As a large scale employer I would never do that and have actually given partners leave as well in the same situation. I believe there is a severe lack of empathy in the world. Those details were severely lacking in the article.
Alethea Grills it wasn’t a news story, it is a comment. Engage is our opinion and comment hub – anything on Engage (which will have ‘On Engage Now:’ at the beginning of the social post) is an opinion, where we can we will link to the news story as we did in this comment piece. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/oct/30/abortion-stillbirth-leave-barnaby-joyce-andrew-hastie-playing-politics
Hopefully you don’t get a vote!!!
Disgraceful and Dispespect for Parents that go through losing a Baby.
No idea what this is about
Gary Verri https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/baby-priya-brought-compassion-to-the-parliament-then-four-men-hijacked-the-debate-20251031-p5n6s7.html
Gary Verri see my comment in reply to Alethea Grills above
I’m not sure that it’s cruelty behind Joyce et al’s decision to speak the way they did. I can say that it definitely comes from a lack of empathy.
Is she a communist?