A politician has accused a pregnant TV star journalist of “misleading” and “harassing” him during a heated confrontation over abortion.
Newly appointed Seven Brisbane news presenter Sarah Greenhalgh asked Robbie Katter, state leader of Katter’s Australian Party, if he would apologize for causing distress to Queensland women by promising to repeal laws allowing abortion.
“This has caused women an enormous amount of fear and anxiety in this state,” Greenhalgh said.
‘Would you like to apologize or show some remorse for what you have done?’
‘All women?’ Mr. Katter responded skeptically.
“I spoke to several of them yesterday,” Grennhalph said, insisting that medical professionals had told her there was a “spike” of women across the state who were feeling stress at the prospect of abortion becoming illegal, as it was. until 2018.
Again Mr Katter asked Greenhalgh if he had spoken to all the women or just “some of them”.
The Pregnant Seven news presenter had a fierce clash with Queensland MP Robbie Katter over abortion.
‘Robbie, obviously I didn’t talk to all of them. “I have spoken to some medical experts who reported that there has been an increase,” Greenhalgh responded, visibly upset.
Mr. Katter was not backing down.
“You’re surprised that there are people who have an alternative view to yours, but I would say that there are also babies in this equation and they need representation.” “You seem to deny it,” he said.
“Robbie, you’re talking to a pregnant woman right now, so I know damn well there are babies involved,” Greenhalgh responded.
Katter accused the media of being obsessed with his party’s stance on abortion.
“I really object to you saying we’re pursuing this,” he said.
‘We have the most flexible abortion laws in the country. We’re allowed to say “oh, we think you’ve gone too far.”
‘We are allowed to have an alternative view in this state, aren’t we? You continue to harass me about this and I’m just saying we’re going to test parliament about it.’
“I’m not harassing you, this is the first time we’ve had this discussion,” Greenhalgh responded.
‘Do you at least recognize that it’s irresponsible to say ‘I’m going to test parliament’… (this) is causing so much distress to women?’
Greenhalgh said only four countries “went back” by banning abortion after it was legalized: the United States, Poland, Nicaragua and El Salvador.
“They’ve taken Robbie back, they’ve gone back in time,” Greenhalgh said.
You’re still gaslighting here. “You used the word ‘regression’ and you’re taking a position by saying that,” Katter responded.
He went on to accuse Greenhalgh of “loving to build up the debate and point at everyone and say, ‘you can’t have a different opinion than us.'”
Katter accused Greenhalgh of misleading and harassing him over the abortion issue.
“If I had a choice, we wouldn’t be talking about going backwards,” Greenhalgh responded.
“I’d rather talk about crime and the cost of living, but you’re the one who brings it up,” Mr. Katter countered.
“There are women who don’t agree with you, you realize.”
Katter said on October 8 that he would repeal abortion laws.
“As quickly as they want, we will reintroduce a bill to the Queensland Parliament to repeal those abortion laws,” Mr Katter said.
“All these MPs can stop whistling their dogs and can say before the election that they support us, and we will give them every opportunity to vote for a repeal bill in the next parliament.”
However, he later clarified that his party, which held three seats before Saturday’s election, wanted to amend laws first to protect babies who were still alive after late-term abortions.
