The Archbishop of Sydney has called on New South Wales (NSW) lawmakers to support a bill aimed at banning sex-selective abortions, describing the measure as one that should attract support across political divides.
In a public statement issued ahead of a parliamentary debate on Wednesday, Archbishop Kanishka Raffel said he had written to NSW Premier Chris Minns and the government’s leader in the Legislative Council, Penny Sharpe, endorsing the bill.
The proposed legislation, the Abortion Law Reform Amendment (Sex Selection Prohibition) Bill 2025, introduced by Libertarian upper house MP John Ruddick, seeks to prohibit abortions carried out solely on the basis of an unborn child's sex.
While reiterating the Anglican Church’s longstanding opposition to abortion, Archbishop Raffel argued that the current proposal should be considered separately from broader debates surrounding abortion access.
He said: “We hold that abortion is not a neutral moral choice but involves the loss of defenceless human life. Nevertheless, we grieve for mothers who see no other option, affirming that in our loving God, there is forgiveness and boundless goodness and mercy.
“But regardless of the broader debates about abortion itself, this bill should unite Parliament against sex-selective abortion, which disproportionately targets unborn girls.”
The Archbishop cited recent research conducted by Edith Cowan University and Curtin University, which he said suggested sex-selective abortion was occurring in New South Wales.
In his letter to government leaders, Archbishop Raffel urged politicians who support abortion rights to nevertheless consider backing the proposal on “dignity and equality” grounds.
He added that sex-selective abortion reflected cultural discrimination rather than genuine empowerment of women.
The Archbishop said Christian support for the measure was rooted in the belief that all human life possesses inherent dignity and that men and women are equally created in the image of God.
According to the Guardian, the former Deputy Prime Minister and current One Nation MP, Barnaby Joyce, addressed a rally outside NSW Parliament on Tuesday evening organised by anti-abortion campaigners supporting the bill.
He said: “You must keep that fire burning for those people who can’t stand up for themselves, and I call them people, they’re not foetuses. They are people.
“The one thing politicians fear is losing their job. They’re very mindful of that. What I see before me here is about 1,500 people who can hand out how to vote cards.”
The newspaper reported that speakers urged Nationals MPs in the Legislative Council to back the proposal, with organisers describing the vote as a crucial test for the pro-life movement.
The Guardian also reported that Dr Joanna Howe, a prominent anti-abortion advocate who coordinated the rally, told supporters the legislation could become the first pro-life bill to pass a parliamentary chamber in Australia.
She indicated that further legislative efforts would follow if the measure succeeds.
Opponents of the bill argue that it could pave the way for broader restrictions on abortion access.
Ryan Park, NSW Health Minister, claimed in comments to ABC Radio that there was no evidence sex-selective abortion was occurring in the state and expressed opposition to reintroducing abortion-related offences into the criminal code.
The legislation is being debated in the NSW Legislative Council this week, with members from Labor, the Coalition and other parties granted conscience votes.
Should the bill pass the upper house, it would then proceed to the Legislative Assembly for further consideration.
