Thousands of Australians, healthcare workers, doctors, politicians, pastors, and concerned citizens rallied outside New South Wales Parliament on Wednesday night to protest new abortion legislation sponsored by the NSW Greens. The bill, which passed in the Legislative Council with a vote of 24 in favour and 16 against, could force Christian healthcare workers out of the system, lead to the closure of Christian hospitals, and compel all health professionals to be involved in abortion services, even against their moral objections.

Approximately 10,000 people gathered outside Parliament to demand that Premier Chris Minns block the bill. The rally was organised by pro-life advocate Dr. Joanna Howe and took place immediately after the vote. Libertarian Member of the NSW Parliament, John Ruddick, addressed the crowd, expressing his disappointment that five members of the National Party in the upper house had voted with the Greens in favour of the abortion bill.

Sydney was in gridlock as our rally of 10,000 Australians stood together demanding that @ChrisMinnsMP and @NSWLabor block this bill in full. We shut down Macquarie St with our huge numbers (the lame counter-protest had less than 40 show 🙈) and we resolved to NEVER vote Labor… pic.twitter.com/eadkj7jPVR

— Dr Joanna Howe (@ProfJoannaHowe) May 7, 2025

Ruddick said, “I can tell you most of the Liberal Party members in there did vote the way you wanted them to vote. And so did Mark Latham, Rod Roberts, and the Shooters. But I was very surprised and shocked, and disappointed—the five members of the Nationals Party all voted with the Greens, and they’ve done this before on transgender issues. I’ve been reading in the paper lately, ‘Oh, the National Party is more conservative than the Liberal Party.’ I don’t see it in the New South Wales Legislative Council.”

Ruddick continued, “Whatever happens tonight, we really have to mobilise the pro-life movement in this country because we often hear about the most vulnerable in society… Well, it’s very obvious who wins that competition: It’s the little baby in the womb. Because the little baby is voiceless and defenceless. We know they want to grow, we know they want to live, because they keep growing, and every single person here had a mother who said, ‘I want to keep this child.’”

🚨

NSW Legislative Council just voted for a radical pro-abortion bill sponsored by the Greens (24-16). It will compel medical professionals to cooperate in the abortion industry – even if they are moral objectors.

We still have some chance of having some amendments pass (debate… pic.twitter.com/NeBzokjqBK

— John Ruddick MLC (@JohnRuddick2) May 7, 2025

Ruddick also spoke about the “baby drought” in Australia, calling for more encouragement for life, not abortion: “It’s a massive crisis. We should be encouraging babies, not aborting them.”

Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott also spoke at the event, condemning the legislation for assaulting the fundamental freedom of conscience. “Freedom of conscience should be at the heart of any decent, civilised society. This legislation is a fundamental assault on freedom of conscience,” Abbott said. He further criticised the legislation for extending healthcare providers’ obligations from referrals to facilitating abortions, even for those with moral objections.

Abbott described the bill as an attempt to push Christians and religious hospitals out of the healthcare system. “It is absolutely shameful that the Minns Government is using government time to force this Greens bill through the parliament. Particularly after it gave repeated assurances that this would not happen. So shame on the Minns Government.”

Tony Abbott’s impassioned speech tonight to protect freedom of conscience against the Greens’ radical abortion bill. Shame on Labor, Libs and Nats for granting a conscience vote on a bill designed to trample the consciences of pro life doctors and nurses. pic.twitter.com/OYst2nTcwE

— Lyle Shelton (@LyleShelton) May 7, 2025

Dr. Joanna Howe also addressed the crowd, expressing frustration over the rushed passage of the bill. “There has been a complete breach of trust from Chris Minns and New South Wales Labor in rushing this bill through parliament this week,” Howe said. “We are here to say to Chris Minns and Labor, this is not good enough, and we will never forget. We are standing up for our children and for our country…”

Abbott later appeared on Sky News, where he expanded on his concerns about the bill’s potential impact on healthcare professionals. “It’s trying to force health professionals with a conscientious objection to abortion to facilitate—not just to refer—but to actually facilitate people having abortions,” Abbott told host Peta Credlin. “If this bill becomes law, it will be another unhappy milestone in the driving of Christianity into our private places and the banishing of Christianity from our public life.”

Family First leader Lyle Shelton also criticised the bill on X, saying, “Shame on the Nationals. ‘Most’ Liberals voted against it, that’s good. But it should never have been a conscience vote to trash the consciences of pro-life doctors.”

Shelton announced that Family First will run in the next NSW election, planning to target Liberals and Nationals who voted for the bill.

Photo: Right to Life NSW