AP

As you are 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?

Despite your repeated promises, the government which you lead is now actively facilitating a private member’s bill by the Greens MP Amanda Cohn. You would be aware that 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.

May I remind you, Premier, what you said in a speech to the Maronite Catholic Society Annual Fundraising Gala Dinner on Friday, 28 March 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.

(It should be pointed out that on the evening of 7 May 2025 the NSW Legislative Council passed the bill into its second reading by 24 votes to 16, so Mr Minns’ prediction of its failure proved wide of the mark).

In such a short period of time are you now 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 concerns of conscience over the issue, but you will be directly undermining the religious freedom of a sizable number of people in your state – a freedom which, as you yourself rightly said, extends beyond being able to go to church on the weekend, but to be able to practise 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. This means you cannot hide behind the excuse that it is not in keeping with national party policy to completely oppose it.

Since you identify as a Christian, 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 hand 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 humbly 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.

– Mark Powell