CANBERRA: Two opposition MPs have denied stoking far-right-wing sentiment by dragging the subject of abortion into debates on legislation now before the Australian Parliament.

West Australian Liberal Party backbencher, Andrew Hastie, (far right at left in main picture) and former National Party leader currently estranged from the party, Barnaby Joyce, (far right at far right in main picture) both said they were merely asking questions of the ministers responsible for the Bills being considered.

Speaking outside parliament following his contribution to debate on a Bill making minor administrative amendments to the Veterans Affairs Act, Mr Hastie justified his remarks.

“Being a military veteran myself, I have a deep interest in this Bill,” Mr Hastie said while showing reporters a PowerPoint presentation he happened to have of himself in army fatigues during his deployment in Afghanistan with the Australian Army.

“I merely asked the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs if a military veteran had an affair and fell pregnant would the Bill enable them to have a late-term abortion.

“I was Right to ask… I mean I was right to ask that perfectly relevant question,” he added despite the Bill’s provisions being restricted to making minor adjustments to funeral benefits payable to elderly veterans.

Mr Joyce also denied party politicking was behind his contribution to debate on the Anti-Litter Bill.

“I merely asked if a woman already had a litter of children would the Bill allow her to have a late-term abortion if she fell pregnant again,” he said. “That question, to me, is well within the scope of the Bill.”

Both MPs refused to explain why they had each taken into the House of Representatives chamber a large bell from a vintage fire truck and a set of portable disco lights which they rang and flashed each time they used the expression “late-term abortion”.

Following the debate contributions by Mr Hastie and Mr Joyce, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Milton Dick, was forced to suspend sittings while attendants cleared hundreds of dogs who had invaded the chamber while the two MPs were speaking.

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