Elsie Lange
Western Metropolitan MP and Bulla resident Bernie Finn has ruled out leaving the Victorian Liberal party despite resigning as opposition whip after posting controversial anti-abortion comments to social media.
Last week, Mr Finn wrote on Facebook that he was “praying” for abortion to be banned in Australia, and “killing babies is criminal” in response to the leak of a draft decision which indicated the United States may overturn Roe v Wade.
Responding to a comment that abortion might be necessary in the case of sexual assault, Mr Finn said “Babies should not be killed for the crime of his or her parent”.
Today, when asked if any further action will be taken against Mr Finn, opposition leader Matthew Guy said “that’s not where my focus is”.
Mr Finn has long been a vocal opponent of abortion laws in Victoria and attends the March for the Babies rally in Melbourne each year.
He told journalists on his way into parliament today there had been “a degree of disloyalty involved”, but that he didn’t feel abandoned by his party.
He doubled down on his anti-abortion stance and said “everybody should be given a chance”, and that he didn’t believe his position would damage the party ahead of the November state election.
“They have been my views for 45 years and I’ve been in parliament for 23 years, so if they haven’t hurt us now, I doubt if they will hurt us in the lead up to November,” Mr Finn said.
Despite speculation, Mr Finn said he wanted to remain a part of the Liberal party.
Mr Finn shared another controversial pro-life image yesterday, alongside the caption “For those desperately in need of a basic biology lesson. Mother and baby: two distinct individual human beings”.
Minister for Women Gabrielle Williams said it was time the opposition leader “showed some leadership and deals with Mr Finn”.
“His recent comments showed an appalling lack of respect for women and completely disregards the trauma experienced by victims of sexual assault – instead prioritising the decisions of perpetrators over the needs of women victims of crime,” Ms Williams said.
“We support all women to make choices that are right for them – women have the right to access reproductive services safely, legally and with dignity.”
