The leading Catholic in the Australian Government, Tony Abbott, has been accused of allowing his beliefs to interfere with his ministerial responsibilities over the awarding of a tender for pregnancy counselling to a company supported by a Church-linked group, writes Mark Brolly in Melbourne.

Mr Abbott, the Health Minister in the Conservative coalition Government of Prime Minister John Howard, announced last week that from May a new national 24-hour helpline would be operated by the phone-based healthcare provider, McKesson Asia-Pacific.

He said that McKesson would be supported by two pro-life groups, including Centacare, the Church's welfare arm. The helpline is part of a A$51m (£20m) government-funded package aimed at curbing Australia's abortion rate, which is estimated at 84,000 terminations annually.