Senator Steve Fielding has been criticised for suggesting that some women may get pregnant and then have a late term abortion so they can receive taxpayer money in the form of paid parental leave.
Senator Fielding's comments came during the largely bipartisan debate about the government scheme. It became heated when the Family First senator introduced amendments dealing with abortion.
He called for a stricter definition of a mother's eligibility in the event of a late-term abortion - to ensure those women are not eligible for any paid parental leave.
The debate moved to the difference between stillborn babies and those that had been aborted.
'We don't need assurances, we need to make sure this is in the law,' Senator Fielding told parliament on Wednesday.
'There may be mums out there who want to cheat the system in an horrific way.'
Nationals Senate leader Barnaby Joyce called the Family First senator Steve Fielding a 'minor pawn' playing politics in 'the most base way'.
Australian Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young accused the senator of 'dirt politics'. Liberal Senator Mitch Fifield accused Senator Fielding of attempting to wage a proxy battle on abortion through unrelated legislation.
Source: Ninemsn
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
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