Page 3810 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 27 August 2008
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is why we do not criminalise it. We must treat this matter seriously, but we have not yet found the answer as to how to minimise the need for abortion in our society. We still have not come to grips with that properly. I personally feel very concerned that we have not yet found the mechanism in our society to minimise the problems that we have in this regard.
The fourth item referred to in my amendment relates to the reintroduction of criminal sanctions not being the solution to this problem. I have already spoken to that. I have reiterated that that is my personal view. That is why I have included it in my amendment. For the reasons that I outlined earlier, it would be pointless, it would be stupid, it would be counterproductive, it would be unfair to criminalise abortion and to have it seen to be driven underground, as it used to be in the bad old days—well, depending on what your perspective is, of course, at least in other days.
The fifth paragraph of my amendment calls for:
providing greater support to women who experience crisis pregnancies is a matter of the greatest importance.
Frankly, I think this is one of the most important issues that I wish to address. It is so important that government put in place the mechanisms to ensure that women of any age have all the instruments in place to receive the best possible advice, counselling, education and information around the question of abortion. It is a very serious issue for a young woman, particularly a young girl and her family—if her family and partner are privy to the issue—to sort out. I do not believe we have the mechanisms in place anymore.
I think it is very important to take into consideration the views of a broad spectrum of the informed community on the subject of abortion and the associated faith, social and ethical considerations. I do not believe the Stanhope government does that. There are far too many frustrated messages from many widely respected social and community groupings that clearly illustrate that. This is in addition to those of the traditional commentators representing women’s rights. They must have, they do have and they should have a primary position in influencing public policy on abortions.
In addition to that, the Australian Christian Lobby, the right to life groups, our local Muslim councils, other religious and cultural groupings, and groupings such as Family First also must be given a chance to express their views and be given an equal ear by the government. That does not happen.
For far too long under Stanhope Labor such groups have been marginalised in this debate. This government does not give a damn about the advice coming from expert quarters that examine the potentially serious psychological and social impacts on young women and their partners who may need to make very difficult decisions relating to abortion.
There is little confidence that expert services, including counselling mechanisms, are in place. The interest is to safeguard secrecy and muddle-headed ideology. I will perhaps have a little more to say later. I commend the amendment to the Assembly.
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