MPs called 'cowards' in abortion debate

VICTORIAN balance of power MP Geoff Shaw has called his fellow MPs "moral cowards" for their refusal to debate abortion laws.

The former Liberal MP who took the balance of power in Victoria's lower house when he turned independent last year, is planning a private member's bill to introduce radical changes to state abortion laws, including outlawing gender-selection and late-term abortions.

Both Premier Denis Napthine and Labor leader Daniel Andrews have previously said they would not support any debate on or changes to the state's abortion laws.

Mr Shaw accused Dr Napthine of "closing down debate" on the issue and said government MPs were moral cowards.

"I think they should be taking the lead on the debate and not being moral cowards," Mr Shaw told reporters.

"I think some of the MPs are a bit gutless and more concerned about their seats instead of doing what's right."

Mr Shaw has just returned from a trip to the US where he said he studied US abortion laws.

Dr Napthine has told parliament he met the independent MP on Tuesday for about 10 or 15 minutes where the pair discussed Mr Shaw's US trip.

Dr Napthine said the pair discussed public transport and a privileges committee probe into Mr Shaw, following a newspaper report on Tuesday.

The committee is investigating Mr Shaw for alleged misconduct after the ombudsman found he used his parliamentary car for his own hardware business.

Dishonesty charges relating to the allegations against Mr Shaw were dropped in December.

Dr Napthine said he told Mr Shaw he knew nothing about the committee's deliberations nor when its report would be released.

"I told him that I knew nothing about these matters," the premier told parliament.

"I'm not privy to the deliberations of the privileges committee. I'm not privy to their discussions and their timing."

There is speculation the privileges committee report on him will be released publicly this week.

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