Rally for women's right to choose
By Lara Pullin
CANBERRA — Despite rain, 500 protesters gathered in Garema Place at lunchtime on September 23 to call on members of the ACT Legislative Assembly to vote against MLA Paul Osborne's attempt to outlaw abortion in the territory. The rally was organised by ACT Pro-Choice.
Under Osborne's bill, only about 10 of the 1700 safe, legal abortions now performed each year in the ACT would remain legal.
A feature of the rally was a huge sculpture made by a women's performance art group from thousands of wire coat-hangers donated by supporters.
President of the ACT Medical Women's Society, Dr Anne Hosking, reported on a motion, passed at the annual council meeting of the Australian Federation of Medical Women last month, which "condemns the bill as prejudicial to the health and welfare of women" and "affirm[s] the right of every woman to control her own fertility".
Hosking also read from a statement endorsed by ACT obstetricians and gynaecologists which says the bill "seriously compromises" the doctor-patient relationship and acknowledges that "Each woman will make her own decision consistent with her physical and mental health, her social circumstances and her own conscience."
ACT Division of General Practice president Dr Stan Doumani emphasised the overwhelming opposition of local GP's to the bill, stating, "I can never remember such a unified response from the membership on any issue in the past". Doumani said, "politicians have no place in this decision".
Women's Legal Centre (WLC) lawyer Jenny Earle said the bill would make the ACT's abortion laws the most restrictive in Australia, and more restrictive than most in the developed world. The bill is "in breach of the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women", she said.
Unsolicited messages opposing the bill have arrived from NSW regional centres, and from doctors and women's groups in other states. The WLC has produced a pamphlet on the legal status of abortion in the ACT.
Karen Moore, on behalf of Canberra's tertiary students' associations, pointed to the serious hardships caused by under-18s being required to have parental consent for abortion, and the increased stress and financial costs for young women of having to travel interstate for an abortion.
In a recent Canberra Times poll, 82% of respondents opposed Osborne's bill, and in a TV poll which received more than 4200 calls in 24 hours, the overwhelming majority also opposed it. MLAs report having received hundreds of letters, with four to one opposing the bill.
Osborne's only visible supporters have been the ACT Right to Life Association (of which Osborne is a patron). RTL was able to mobilise only six members to its counter-rally on September 23.
Despite this, Osborne says he has a "duty to the unborn" and won't listen to the majority. He intends to put the bill to a vote during the October sitting of the Assembly.
In the meantime, he is working on a "deal". With the MLAs split nine to eight against the bill, it will take just one pro-choice MLA to sway for the bill to be passed. The campaign to defend women's right to choose in the ACT is at a crucial stage. To get involved, phone Amanda or Pat from ACT Pro-Choice on (06) 6247 2424.