The rebel Liberal National party Queensland MP Nigel Dalton, who earlier this week defied the state’s premier, David Crisafulli, over the abortion law debate, has encouraged others “to put on the full armour of God” and speak out on the issue.
In an interview posted on YouTube, Dalton told the anti-abortion activist Joanna Howe his “history with anti-abortion has been probably 30-odd years in the making”.
Howe asked the Mackay MP if he had any advice for other members of his party who felt under pressure to stay silent on the issue.
“The battle is not against people. It’s against principalities. It’s against demons. And you have to put on the full armour of God. You have to be sure in your faith, and the Lord will look after you,” Dalton said.
The LNP was dogged by questions over its position on abortion through the 2024 election campaign, with the party saying that there would “not be any changes” to legislation because “it’s not part of our plan”.
Dalton, a first term MP, said he regretted his vote alongside all other LNP MPs to place a gag on any debate on the issue in 2024, which he put down to “naivety” and lack of understanding of the motion.
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He crossed the floor on Tuesday to vote on a motion by Robbie Katter that would have allowed the crossbench to ask parliament to overturn the order.
Dalton said he “thought this is my time to redeem myself in the eyes of the public, say sorry, but also in the eyes of God”.
“That’s who I serve. I don’t serve anybody else. I obviously understand the leadership of the LNP is going to be, it’s going to be a difficult time for them to manage this.”
Dalton is the first government member to cross the floor in several terms.
In a brief press conference on Tuesday, he said the decision was “deeply personal” but refused to elaborate.
Crisafulli downplayed the vote on Tuesday.
“We took a position to the election, and that position remains. You know my position. There was a lot of talk about this for the election, and I said to you, there wouldn’t be change. And I’d like to think that today reaffirms that overwhelmingly,” he said on Tuesday.
Dalton told Howe on Tuesday: “My regret is that I didn’t stand up earlier, OK, and I asked God for forgiveness for that; I should have stood up in the campaign.
“I stood in press conferences in Mackay, alongside other members who are now in the government, and we said there would be no change, no change to the abortion laws. There probably won’t be any changes. But I didn’t believe that,” he said.
Several LNP MPs were quoted during the election campaign promising changes to the state’s abortion laws. Numerous members of the Crisafulli government voted against the bill legalising it in 2018, and others have professed strong views against abortion.
