Events and Opportunities

The Lower House of the Parliament of Tasmania has passed an abortion Bill that is even more extreme than that in Victoria (I didn’t think that was even possible!) with 13 voting in favour and 11 opposed.
All of the ten Liberals opposed the Bill, all of the five Greens supported it and all but one (of 10) ALP members supported it - Michael Polley courageously crossed the floor to vote against it.

There were great moments throughout the debate. Will Hodgman (Leader of the Opposition) spoke strongly about how he could not ignore the unborn child. Jacquie Petrusma (Liberal Party) talked about her own struggles and triumphs during challenging years of young and older motherhood, about the research showing negative psychological and physical risks of abortion and about the development of life in the womb. Mark Shelton (Liberal party) spoke of his adoration for his grandson, Evan, with Down Syndrome and the relief that his daughter had chosen life for him. Michael Ferguson (Liberal), amongst other things talked about the tactics used by supporters of the Bill and the misleading nature of the Bill. He also critiqued the Bill for the lack of due process and public consultation, a complaint made by many.

There were some speakers in support of the Bill that were just so hard to listen to - their misinformation so passionately repeated again and again. Numerous times they referred to difficult circumstances that drive women to abort (but no mention of addressing those social and economic needs – only abortion!),  and the “empowerment of women gaining autonomy over their reproductive choices”....by aborting their babies??!! Among the supporters of the Bill, there was almost no mention of the baby, for whom abortion is fatal. If you can bear to watch those parts of the debate, the footage will be available on our website shortly.

The Institute of Public Affairs has weighed in on the debate, saying that ""Proposed changes contained in the Reproductive Health (Access to Terminations) Bill 2013 threaten freedom of speech and freedom of conscience". They also stated that "Singling out particular premises for special treatment undermines equality before the law. This bill does not make it illegal to distribute material outside supermarkets or sports grounds, for instance. The Tasmanian government should not ban protests, whether they occur outside an abortion clinic or a timber mill".

Please act - The Bill also needs to be passed by the Upper House of Tasmania. Please contact the members of the Upper House and respectfully ask them not to support the Bill, and your reasons why.

rosemary.armitage@parliament.tas.gov.au ; ivan.dean@parliament.tas.gov.au ; craig.farrell@parliament.tas.gov.au ; kerry.finch@parliament.tas.gov.au ; ruth.forrest@parliament.tas.gov.au; Michael.gaffney@parliament.tas.gov.au ; Vanessa.goodwin@parliament.tas.gov.au ; greg.hall@parliament.tas.gov.au ; paul.harriss@parliament.tas.gov.au ; tony.mulder@parliament.tas.gov.au ; tania.rattray@parliament.tas.gov.au ; sue.smith@parliament.tas.gov.au ; adriana.taylor@parliament.tas.gov.au ; hobart@parliament.tas.gov.au ; jim.wilkinson@parliament.tas.gov.au 

 

Please also shoot off a quick email to those who stood for life in Tasmanian Parliament on Tuesday night and thank them for voting against the Bill.

will.hodgman@parliament.tas.gov.au
jeremy.rockliff@parliament.tas.gov.au
michael.polley@parliament.tas.gov.au
elise.archer@parliament.tas.gov.au
peter.gutwein@parliament.tas.gov.au
rene.hidding@parliament.tas.gov.au
jacquie.petrusma@parliament.tas.gov.au
mark.shelton@parliament.tas.gov.au
adam.brooks@parliament.tas.gov.au
matthew.groom@parliament.tas.gov.au
michael.ferguson@parliament.tas.gov.au

More information to come.

 

Please join us in making a stand for the unborn by supporting the March for the Babies in Melbourne on October 13, 2012.

If all of us who call ourselves "pro life" ensure we support this event (in big numbers), it will be "game on" in our political arenas, providing pro life members of parliaments around Australia with a public mandate to protect the unborn and their mothers, fathers and families from abortion. 

We urge you to please keep this date free or cancel anything you may have already arranged and make it a priority to be there.

Where: Meet at Treasury Gardens, Melbourne.

When: October 13 at 1:00 pm

Wear: pink or blue (for the babies)

For those who are physically capable of attending: "If it is important to you, you will find a way. If not, you will find an excuse". Anon.

 

American lawyers Dorinda Bordlee and Nikolas Nikas have been instrumental in changing abortion legislation in America. Mr. Nikas and Ms. Bordlee are the founders of the Bioethics Defense Fund, a public interest legal and educational organization.

They will be speaking at two events on August 20: 

Event 1:  9.30am for 9.45am start, Pineapple Hotel, Main St, Kangaroo Point.  $25 includes morning tea.  RSVP 2pm on Friday 17 Aug.

Event 2:  7pm for 7.15pm start, St Ignatius Hall, Kensington Tce, Toowong.  $20 Adults, $15 students/concession.  Light supper provided.  RSVP 2pm on Mon 20 Aug.

Rally For Life — Saturday 11th February 2012

This 2012 Rally For Life in Brisbane is more important than ever as the pro-abortion industry lobbyists make yet another push for the decriminalisation of abortion.  Make it your mission to do everything possible to prevent the spread of Victorian darkness. You can help promote the rally by downloading, printing and distributing the PDF file of the A4 poster.  There is also a Facebook page for this event with which you can invite your friends to the rally. Mark your diaries: Saturday 11th February 2011 — 1:15pm for a 2:00pm start at Queen's Park in Brisbane's CBD.   Help needed 9am - balloons for Rally For Life Even if you aren’t able to attend the Rally For Life this Saturday afternoon, you may be able to give us an hour of help in the morning. We need a team of people to help fill the balloons with helium and put the clips and strings on them.  It is an easy job and you will be under shade. Please get back to us ASAP if you are able to help 9am in the park this Saturday.

Please view and share a link to this footage. Many do not know that Victoria now has abortion on demand up until birth!!  Please join us today in the fight against abortion.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7p4LVSmKx5M&feature=related 

The annual 'March for the Babies' was held last Saturday (Oct 10, 2011) in Melbourne. Life Network Australia wishes to congratulate the MFTB committee and chairman, Bernie Finn, on a fantastic and well organised day - as well as applaud those who came from near and far to participate. 

This year's March was held on the third anniversary of the passing of the most extreme abortion legislation in the western world - with babies now able to be legally aborted right up until birth (and some babies even being born alive and left to die - Vic Health Department Report). Legal protection for women and girls has also been removed through the rejection of amendments by the Brumby Government, in 2008.

Guest speakers at the march included: Bernie Finn, President of the 'March for the Babies' committee; Helen Parker, The Babes Project; Cindy Collins, U.S pro life activist - intimately involved in legislative changes supporting the rights of children before birth; Honourable Greg Smith MP SC, NSW Attorney-General;  Marlene Kairouz MP, Opposition Whip; and Michael Gidley Member for Mount Waverley.
Music was provided by an impressive Amy K!

The crowd at the march consisted of people of all ages, from babies through to the elderly, with lots of teenagers and young families. 

Please mark October 13 on your calendar for next year's march, as we continue to advocate for the unborn and their mothers and families. 

See footage and following pictures for a snap shot of the day.  

   

"Silence is the language of complicity...speaking out is the language of change" – anon

Have you heard about the abortion legislation in Victoria and thought how terrible it is? Have you heard the statistics and shaken your head in disbelief? Unfortunately, silence is not an option and we must all unite to see this legislation overturned and protection for babies and women reinstated.

Please convert your compassion into action and join us as we march peacefully in Melbourne on October 8, 2011 - the third anniversary of the barbaric Victorian abortion law reform.

Starts:  Corner Clarendon St & Wellington Parade, East Melbourne.

Finishes: Parliament House

Melways 2G C4

Melbourne, Australia

 

Time: 2:00pm – 3:00pm

Date: Saturday, October 8, 2011.

Wear: Baby pink or/and blue.

For more information contact Gayle 0411 211 413 or email marchforthebabies@gmail.com  

The lives of more than 20,000 Victorian unborn babies and the welfare of their mothers and families depend on us.

If you are genuinely unable to join the March, please send Premier Ted Bailleu an email and politely inform him of your opposition to this legislation: http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/contact.html

If you are going to the march, you might like to double your efforts and also shoot him off an email...

See you there!! 

 

 Emily's List holds up abortion as a trophy of women's reproductive rights, espouses the rhetoric of "choice" and poses as an organisation fighting for equality of women. At first glance, why wouldn't any company jump at the opportunity to sponsor them? 
If, however, you look a little more closely, you may just see something more sinister.  
It was Emily List's, Candy Broad,  that initially tabled an abortion Bill that would legalise abortion up until birth - but it was put aside until after a federal election.
Emily List's Maxine Morand then retabled it.
It was her Emily's List colleagues, Joan Kirner, Jacinta Allan (Bendigo East) and others that argued passionately in support of the Bill.
When challenged on her support of the legislation, during the last Victorian election, Ms Allan refused to comment. Her constituents flatly refused to believe that she would have supported abortion up until birth. With the protection of her local Bendigo newspaper, she remains unaccountable.

During the abortion debate in Parliament, images of aborted babies were viewed. Abortion survivor, Gianna Jessen, gave her amazing story of surviving an abortion and asked "Where were my rights as a female?" But Emily's List MPs remained determined.
Peter Kavanagh, former Member of the Democratic Labour Party, described how he was told by some ALP MPs that although they did not want to support the Bill, they were told (by the ALP) that they would not be endorsed for reselection if they did not - so much for a conscience vote!

Former ALP Member for Bendigo West, Bob Cameron, voted against the Bill. He has since been replaced by Emily List's Maree Edwards. 

The legislation was passed and numerous amendments were put forward - some 60, in fact. It was the rejection of these amendments that gives us a look into what Emily's List really stands for.

Given they had succeeded in legalising abortion in Victoria, one would think that a political organisation that champions the rights of women would have supported the following amendments: Parental consent for girls under 18 years (parental consent is required for piercings); mandatory reporting of suspected sexual abuse; support/counselling for women considering abortion; a "cooling off period" for women considering late term abortion.  But no - each Emily's List Member of Parliament voted each of these amendments down.

Emily Listers also opposed: The banning of partial birth abortions (banned in the U.S); provision of medical care for aborted babies born alive; anaesthetic for babies aborted late term; and limitting abortion availability to 20 or 24 weeks (babies can survive outside the womb at this stage). 

In espousing to be "pro choice", there is no evidence of Emily's List having any interest in any "choice" other than abortion. Where do they show such determination and passion for adoption?  Are they fighting to have red tape surrounding adoption cut?
Where are they lobbying for pregnancy support centres? Parenting classes?
It is blaringly obvious that Emily's List is "pro choice" alright...as long as that "choice" is abortion!

The champagne flowed for those Emily Listers who had secured their ultimate "trophy", but for the women, families and babies of Victoria and Australia, it was a very sad day. Legal protection for the unborn and also for women had been stripped.
The following businesses and organisations sponsor Emily's List - the first two listed are supporting one of their upcoming events. Please make contact with them. If you do business with them and your concerns are brushed aside, please consider changing to another business provider.

http://mebank.com.au/

http://womeninsuper.com.au/members/

http://www.justitia.com.au/main.html

http://www.asu.asn.au/

http://www.mauriceblackburn.com.au/

What do you think?
Do you believe that...
1) Babies in the womb deserve protection?
2) Women should be offered support / counselling when considering an abortion?
3) Parental consent should be required for a teenager seeking an abortion (as with piercings)?
4) Abortion up until birth should be banned?
5) Babies born alive (after failed abortions) should be provided with medical care?
6) Suspected sexual abuse of minors seeking abortions should be reported?
7) Partial birth abortions (banned in the U.S) should be banned in Victoria?
8) There should be a "cooling off" period for women considering late term abortion?
9) Abortion should be unthinkable or at least rare?

You might be surprised to learn that all of the Greens, many of the ALP and some Liberal MPs (including the current Vic Premier, Ted Bailleu) rejected each of the amendments included in the questions above (questions 2 -8).

Peter Kavanagh, former DLP MP was in Parliament when this abortion bill was passed. Hear his description here, along with comments from Melissa Ohden

Members of the current Victorian Government have indicated that they are waiting to hear from the public, before they can act to repeal this law. To motivate Victorian MPs we must run a strong and constant campaign.
Please write to them and ask that they repeal the abortion law of 2008 and reinstate protection for the unborn and their mothers. 
 If you are part of a mother's group, men's shed night, youth group, Church, social club or family... then why not organise a letter writing hour? If you can,please write or email numerous times.
What are we waiting for?!!

Vic Premier -Ted Bailleu: 
Office of the Premier
1 Treasury Place
GPO Box 4912V V
Melbourne, Victoria
Australia, 3002

Phone: (03) 9651 5000
TTY (for the hearing impaired only): (03) 9682 4864
Email contact form: http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/contact.html 

Leader of the National Party - Peter Ryan:
54B Cunninghame Street SALE 3850.
P.O. Box 145,
SALE 3850.

Phone: (03) 5144 1987
Fax: (03) 5144 7086
Email contact form: http://www.peterryan.com.au/contact-us
 

Attorney General - Robert Clark:
24 Rutland Road, BOX HILL Vic 3128.
Phone: (03) 9898 6606
Fax: (03) 9890 7180.
Email: robert.clark@parliament.vic.gov.au 

If you live in Victoria, please send a message, phone or visit your local MP.

Please contact the Upper House Members in your region.

Related Article .

 

 

 

Rally for Life — Saturday 12 February 2011 .
... It's Crunch Time

This 2011 Rally For Life is more important than ever, as the pro-abortion industry lobbyists make yet another push for decriminalisation of abortion while the current EMILY's List member, Anna Bligh, is still premier of Queensland.

Even though the recent poll showed there is no concensus of opinion to legalise abortion in Queensland, pressure is being brought to bear by the noisy minority of the pro-abortion lobby.  They will continue to pressure pro-abortion politicians to put forward a private member's bill before the current premier's term has ended.

Speakers this year include Archbishop John Bathersby DD of the Brisbane Catholic Archdiocese, and Mrs Maria Bozikis, wife of Rev Fr Anastasios Bozikis of the Greek Orthodox Church.  You will be stunned to hear the pressure brought to bear on Mrs Bozikis by medical personnel!  Want to know why?  Come to the Rally For Life and find out.

When and Where .
When: Saturday 12th February 2011. Pre-rally entertainment starts at 1:15pm with the main event starting at 2:00pm.  Estimated finish time is 4:00pm.

A donation will be taken to cover the costs of running this event, and to make it even bigger and better next year.

Where: Queens Park, cnr William, Elizabeth & George Sts, in the Brisbane CBD.  (Click for interactive Google Map)

Public transport is recommended, but car parking is available underneath Queens Park and in other parts of the city

Why should you attend? Because the unborn are depending on YOU to protect them.
We do not want to end up with babies being aborted up to the day of birth — as is now legal in Victoria. We do not want our hospitals to be forced to do abortions, traumatising their staff and clogging up our already over-burdened health system. Abortion harms women, destroys babies and emasculates men.

Where: Queens Park, cnr William, Elizabeth & George Sts, Brisbane CBD

What to bring: Your family and friends, hat, water, sunscreen, chair, rug, umbrella.

NOTE: Expected finish time 4pm.  Only official placards allowed