Australian comedian Geraldine Hickey's dinner celebration of her wife's abortion care work drew condemnation from Senator Ralph Babet on 31 October, who called the post 'truly evil.' Hickey's caption referred to '300 abortions', while a subsequent account quoted her wife describing medical abortion prescription consultations.
Her wife, Catherine 'Cath' Bateman, is a sexual and reproductive health nurse whose employer recognised her work expanding access to services across Gippsland, Victoria. Her professional background provides context to the milestone Hickey celebrated and the criticism that followed.
Catherine Bateman Recognised for Expanding Healthcare
Latrobe Community Health Service named Bateman its 2025 Employee of the Year, recognising her contribution to establishing and developing its Sexual and Reproductive Health Hub. Its announcement, published on 22 September 2025, described her work across three GP clinics serving people who might otherwise struggle to obtain affordable care.
The hub supports patients with contraception, abortion, menopause, pelvic pain, and other sexual health concerns. Bateman's employer also credited her with helping expand services into Warragul and supporting patients seeking early medical abortions.
The announcement identified Bateman as a nurse practitioner candidate undertaking a two-year master's programme. Executive director Vicki Doherty said: 'Her commitment to improving care and supporting her team is deeply valued, and we're thrilled to see her efforts acknowledged.'
Hickey shared a photograph of herself and Bateman raising wine glasses over dinner on 31 December, 2025. She captioned it: 'Took my wife out for fancy dinner to celebrate her doing 300 abortions for the year!'
What the '300 Abortions' Caption Refers To
Anti-abortion organisation Live Action quoted Bateman as writing on LinkedIn: 'I just completed my 300th medical abortion prescription consult for 2025!' LinkedIn now displays a notice at the linked post's address stating that it was 'deleted or removed'.
The figure describes prescription consultations, not confirmation that 300 abortions were completed. It also does not establish that Bateman performed 300 surgical procedures.
Ralph Babet Condemns Hickey's Dinner Post
Babet is a United Australia Party senator representing Victoria, first elected to the Australian Senate in 2022. His parliamentary record lists him as the party's parliamentary leader from July that year. He reposted Hickey's dinner image over a year later with a statement condemning abortion and the decision to celebrate it.
'Celebrating the killing of an unborn baby is truly evil,' Babet wrote. He added: 'And no, I won't sanitise the language to make you feel better about it.'
His statement continued: 'Murder should never be a cause for celebration. It is a tragedy, not a triumph.'
Babet also criticised people celebrating things that should trouble 'their conscience and their soul,' ending his post with 'Sickening'. His description of abortion as murder reflects his political and moral position, not a legal finding that Bateman committed a criminal offence.
Another commenter, Danielle Novosel, asked: 'Can I ask what you do to support mothers who dont make that choice, but are struggling?' She added: 'Or to help the children of the homes that are barely making ends meet? Or the children who are in foster care waiting to be adopted?'
One Facebook commenter wrote: 'I'm pro-choice, but celebrating abortion is just low class.' Another defended the work, writing: 'Providing necessary and respectful healthcare to 300 women/pregnant people.'
