Things have been quiet on the Life Network Australia website for the last month, but lots happening to catch you up on.
Sonja has been working with a Bendigo group, The Bendigo Social Justice Action Group and Linda has been up to her ears in work and family life.
I am sure everyone of you is also busy wrapping things up (excuse the pun) before Christmas and the New Year.
A little about the Victorian election...
Pro life groups have worked tirelessly during the Victorian election campaign period to highlight the actions of those Members of Parliament who supported the barbaric 2008 Victorian Abortion law reform.
Margaret Tighe, now Vice President of Right to Life Australia and RTLA have been credited by The Tasmanian Times with unseating six of the eight MP's that they targetted. One of these (now former) MP's was EMILY List's Maxine Morand who was responsible for tabling the abortion legislation. RTLA letter boxed and protested at her office in Mount Waverley.
In Bendigo, RTLA, Lifevote and the Bendigo Social Justice Action Group (BSJAG) all campaigned to unseat the ALP member for Bendigo East, Jacinta Allan. Ms Allan's seat was a marginal seat, but the media predicted an easy win. Mr Brumby and Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, both attended the state ALP launch in Bendigo.
The BSJAG ran a TV, radio and newpaper campaign, protested at The Green's launch (also held in Bendigo), the ALP launch and at Ms Allan's office. Sonja participated in a debate with the CEO of Loddon Mallee Women's Health Clinic on IPTV and Mike Bowen drove a truck through Bendigo advertising Ms Allan's support of abortion up until birth.
RTLA letterboxed Ms Allan's electorate twice, ran newspaper advertisements and had a mobile billboard (on a trailer) driving through Bendigo.
Lifevote also letter boxed Ms Allan's electorate.
While Ms Allan retained her seat of Bendigo East, there was a 3% swing against her in the primary votes, 1% after preferences were distributed.
One thing that become obvious very early was the support Ms Allan had from a prominent and well supported Bendigo newspaper. It also became very apparent that much of the Bendigo public, including ALP supporters and staff (including her former legal adviser) did not believe that abortion is now legal up until birth, something that Ms Allan avoided making a single comment on.
The member for Shepparton, Janette Powell was the only National Party MP in the lowerhouse to vote for the bill. Ewan McDonald who stood as a candidate in the Northern Victoria Region (upperhouse) arranged to letter box drop her electorate with the RTLA brochure. Shepparton was not a marginal seat, but the campaign had WIN News and the people of Shepparton talking about abortion, the 2008 legislation and Ms. Powell's support of it.
Overall, the efforts of the pro life groups are to be commended. The public are more informed and a message has been sent loud and clear that advocates of the unborn will not be silenced.
We congratulate courageous and outspoken pro life MPs, Bernie Finn (Lib), Christine Campbell (ALP) and Peter Ryan (Nat) on their re-election to the Victorian Parliament. We look forward to great things in 2011!
Comments
Post has no comments.