While it is unlikely the NSW Nationals will continue their push, it underscores the deep divisions being caused by the abortion debate and Mr Joyce’s intervention.

Mr Joyce, who holds the NSW federal seat of New England, addressed an anti-abortion rally outside the NSW Parliament on Tuesday night and voters are being bombarded with anti-abortion robo-calls he recorded.

On Wednesday, Mr Barilaro blasted Mr Joyce for his intervention, especially the robo-calls.

“I don't support what he’s doing with the robo-calls,” Mr Barilaro told Sky News.

“That’s a complete intrusion into people's privacy at home.

“I’m happy for Barnaby to bombard me with texts, phone calls, phone messages, even lecture me, but don’t lecture my constituents or my voters.

“Barnaby is entitled to say what he needs to say, what’s not acceptable is to ring the homes of individual residents in National Party seats through his robo-calls, on a very sensitive issue, a very personal issue for so many, and leave what I believe is a blunt message.”

Mr Joyce, a practising Christian, argues that as a citizen of NSW and an MP, he has a right to become involved.


“As a citizen of NSW, I’ve got every right to voice my views.”

He has accused the NSW government of trying to ram through the bill without adequate consultation. He said the government, for example, allowed a much longer consultation on a proposed bill relating to caged eggs.

On Tuesday, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian bowed to pressure from the anti-abortionists and delayed by several weeks the final vote in the upper house on the bill. It has already passed the lower house.

The bill allows for terminations up to 22 weeks and later if two doctors “consider that, in all the circumstances, the termination should be performed”.