David Crisafulli faces questions over LNP’s transgender plans after party official’s email was revealed | Queensland elections 2024

A Queensland Liberal National party official sent an email to branch members on election night – on party letterhead – claiming the state had been “conquered by transgender ideology”. The email also promoted plans to ban puberty blockers for minors.

The state opposition has repeatedly refused to answer questions about the email, obtained by Guardian Australia, amid mounting pressure on the LNP leader, David Crisafulli, to clarify the party’s intentions on abortion, voluntary assisted dying and clarify gender issues.

Crisafulli would not say Wednesday whether he would personally support an announced bill to restrict or possibly recriminalize abortion.

Concerns were growing within the LNP that social issues would damage the party’s ambitions to make gains among progressive urban voters in the Oct. 26 state election.

Earlier this year, the Christian Right faction took control of the LNP’s Griffith FDC – a major party wing in the Greens-held South Brisbane electorate. Veteran anti-abortion activist Alan Baker was elected chairman.

Guardian Australia has obtained an email from Baker, sent on party stationery, to members promoting a speech by Jillian Spencer, a former psychiatrist at a public hospital who made allegations about the state’s children’s gender service. An independent review found there was “no evidence” to support claims that children were rushed or coerced into making decisions, and recommended an increase in staff levels to meet demand.

“Labor governments in Queensland and other Australian states and territories have been captivated by transgender ideology and have yet to catch up to the science,” Baker wrote.

He also sent – ​​highlighted in bold – a reference to the LNP organization’s policy on the issue, adopted at the state convention in 2024, which calls on the next LNP government to “ban puberty blockers for minors with gender dysphoria”.

Crisafulli’s office did not respond to questions about the email, which was sent in September, including requests to explain its policies on transgender rights.

Questions sent to the LNP on Wednesday also received no response.

When asked at the start of the campaign whether the LNP would commit to increasing staffing levels for the Children’s Gender Service in line with the review recommendation, opposition health spokesperson Ros Bates said the party had yet to reach a position .

“It’s not the stuff that Queenslanders ask me about, even though I understand it’s important. It’s not what people are asking us now,” she said.

Crisafulli has long promised he would not seek to repeal or change Queensland’s abortion laws if the LNP is elected, and that this was not among the party’s core priorities.

But his hand could be forced by obstructionist Robbie Katter, who has promised to introduce a bill to change Labour’s abortion laws, and even hinted he could push for a “clean repeal” that would once again be a criminal offense deliver.

“All I can say is that everything is on the table because we take our position on this very seriously,” Katter told Guardian Australia on Wednesday.

“It would be a counterpoint to everything that has ended up in parliament. So we would try to roll back as much as possible.”

Crisafulli was asked 39 times about the issue on Wednesday, but would not say whether he would grant his MPs a conscience vote. Much of the concern – called a ‘scare campaign’ by some – about the prospect of changes to abortion laws under an LNP government is tied to the long-held personal views of many opposition MPs and LNP candidates.

Among them is former federal senator Amanda Stoker, who said in 2018 that Labor’s laws in Queensland were “abhorrent” and “barbarism (with) the cloak of civility”.

Two MPs – Jon Krause and retiring right-winger Mark Robinson – have made public comments suggesting reforms could happen after the election.

Guardian Australia revealed on Wednesday that Robinson told a Christian podcast in August that “corrections will undoubtedly happen over time”.