Llew O’Brien introduces bill regarding infants born alive via abortion

Coalition MP Llew O’Brien has introduced a bill to the Australian federal Parliament seeking comprehensive healthcare for infants who survive medical abortions. The proposal, supported by the Australian Christian Lobby (ACL), argues that such infants should be afforded the same medical protections as children born through other means. O’Brien cited the United Nations Conventions on the Rights of the Child to support the necessity of protecting the fundamental human rights of these children.

The bill also proposes that any fetus surviving a medical termination be recorded as a child, with their specific cause of death documented to allow for the generation of national statistics. Currently, Australia lacks comprehensive data on the number of babies born alive during abortions; ACL analysis suggests the figure could be as high as 150 annually, though recording methods vary by jurisdiction.

Despite the push from conservative politicians and religious groups, the proposal is unlikely to pass the lower house, where the Labor Party holds a majority. This follows previous attempts to introduce similar legislation in both the upper house in 2022 and the Queensland parliament in 2024, neither of which gained significant traction.