ACCUSATIONS of political “thuggery” in Frankston have begun to fly in the lead-up to November’s state election.
An online pro-choice campaign targeting independent Frankston MP Geoff Shaw over his anti-abortion stance is being directed from behind the scenes by a trade union.
The ‘Never Going Back’ website at www.nevergoingback.org.au states: “[Premier] Denis Napthine is helping ex-Liberal MP Geoff Shaw draft legislation to overhaul Victoria’s abortion laws and undermine Victorian women’s right to choose, all so he can cling to government.”
Internet registry records show Victorian Trades Hall Council industrial and campaigns officer Luke Hilakari registered the Never Going Back website’s name in January this year but the site itself does not fully disclose the union’s role in establishing the campaign.
The Victorian Trades Hall Council is not formally affiliated with the Labor Party, although many of its member unions are.
The VTHC’s media and communications organiser Edwina Byrne confirmed the Never Going Back campaign is “not an official Trades Hall campaign”.
Ms Byrne said the union had merely provided “technical support” and registered the name of the website.
“Luke has teamed up with a bunch of savvy feminists and he’s the leader of the group,” Ms Byrne said.
The website which encourages members of the public to “sign up” via social media channels such as Facebook and Twitter to “spread the word”, claims Mr Shaw wants to “re-criminalise abortion”.
Mr Hilakari said the union had “helped build the website” on behalf of a group of organisations “passionate” about Mr Shaw’s anti-abortion opinions.
He said it “would be unfair to describe the union as taking the lead on this [website]” but declared the VTHC “stood shoulder to shoulder with those who support a women’s right to choose.”
A spokesman for Mr Shaw condemned the union’s failure to declare its role in the Never Going Back campaign and disputed several facts listed on the campaign website.
“Not only is the information up on their site a complete fabrication, it is also a heinous representation devoid of any sort of respect for the difficult decisions that women can encounter,” he said.
“This is typical union thuggery, demonstrating that there are in fact new lows to which they will sink.
“We’ve been brave enough to openly discuss these issues, and it’s groups like this that don’t want to have a reasoned debate, but just want to silence those with a differing opinion.”
Mr Hilakari told The Times that Liberty Victoria, a self-described non-partisan advocacy group for civil liberties, was one of the organisations involved with the Never Going Back campaign.
Liberty Victoria spokesperson Anne O’Rourke said the group “had watched” Mr Shaw’s attempts to “wind back” 2008’s abortion law reform bill and had decided to campaign against him via the Never Going Back initiative.
“It’s estimated that one in three women will have an abortion in their lifetime, yet there is still a stigma around it when there shouldn’t be,” Ms O’Rourke said.
Ms O’Rourke said Liberty Victoria would support politicians “across party lines” who are prochoice.
Mr Shaw has called Victoria’s abortion laws “the worst in the world” and wanted to give anti-abortion doctors the right to not refer women to other medical practitioners for a termination.
