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Hypocrisy in Parliament

By Alan Baker - posted Monday, 6 March 2006


Although Medicare currently funds abortions to 26 weeks, 20 weeks is the earliest point at which survival outside the womb is possible with present technology and the age at which birth and death certificates are required by law.

Seventy-nine per cent of Australians believe abortion can harm the physical or mental health of a woman, possibly speaking from experience, as more than 2 million abortions have been performed in Australia in the past 35 years.

When asked, “Do you believe that, before having an abortion, a woman should receive free independent counselling and information on the development of her unborn child, the nature of the procedure, the physical and psychological risks of the operation and the alternatives of keeping the child or adoption, so she can make a fully informed decision?”, 95 per cent of Australians agreed.

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Anecdotal evidence shows that the information and support offered to women who seek counselling from abortion clinics or pro-abortion counselling agencies has been sadly lacking. It seems women are not being told of risks of breast cancer, infertility and significant psychological trauma as a result of abortion. In any case, there is no real choice if only one choice is being promoted.

Yet the Federal Government has been funding pro-abortion counselling services to the tune of $13 million a year, compared with $400,000 a year now being given to pro-life pregnancy counselling services - which also offer post-abortion counselling to many grieving women.

Thankfully, Federal Cabinet last week announced a $51 million package proposed by the Health Minister, Tony Abbott, to provide a 24-hour advice hotline to pregnant women and professional independent counselling to women with unwanted or difficult pregnancies under a new Medicare item.

Recently, Family First Senator Steve Fielding called for the introduction of a cooling-off period of several days between making an appointment and having an abortion. This survey shows that 86 per cent of Australians agree with him.

Consumers are protected in this way when purchasing a house, a car, investments or even dating services, yet many women and girls who are pressured into having an abortion by their boyfriend, husband or parents have no such protection.

On the other hand, because many girls under 16 have abortions without their parents’ knowledge, 73 per cent of Australians are in favour of parental consent laws.

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One of the more interesting aspects of the research is that it shows women are more pro-life than men, contrary to the impression that might have been gained from the fact that only 10 female MPs voted against the RU486 Bill.

No doubt the reason only 2 female Labor MPs courageously voted against their party policy is that the other 31 who supported the abortion pill are members of Emily’s List, to which they pledged support for pro-abortion legislation in return for election campaign funding.

This research complements and reinforces the findings of the national opinion poll released last year by Southern Cross Bioethics Institute, which found that 87 per cent of Australians want the number of abortions reduced and 71 per cent want greater public discussion on the issue. Significantly, this survey of 1,200 people conducted by the independent Sexton Marketing Group also found that only 15 per cent of Australians believe that abortion is a moral choice when both mother and baby are healthy.

Let us hope that as the debate continues, Governments can implement creative social policies to help women with unplanned or problem pregnancies cope with financial and social pressures so they can avoid unwanted abortion and choose to have their children.

Women deserve better than abortion.

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First published in The Courier-Mail on February 23, 2006.



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About the Author

Alan Baker is vice-president of Cherish Life Queensland and president of the Family Council of Queensland.

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What Australians really think about abortion

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