Tasmania's Dubious Distinctions
Tasmania is a beautiful island-state known for its apples, its scenery - and for its liberal abortion law. There are thought to be about 1200 hundred babies terminated by abortion every year in the state. Abortion was decriminalised in 2013 after a private members bill was put forward by former health minister, Michelle O'Byrne. The Tasmanian Reproductive Health Act mimicked Victoria's draconian 2008 law - the most extreme in the southern hemisphere - which allowed for babies to be killed up to the day of their birth. However, Tasmania distinguished itself by adding an equally extreme bubble-zone law to the Act - a 150m radius around abortion businesses. The despicable law was opposed by most Liberal party politicians, and Tasmania's pro-lifers vowed to vote Labor out and elect the pro-life MPs whom they hoped would repeal the law. That was almost 5 years ago. Last month, what was then the last, dedicated abortion facility closed, and baby-killers were up-in-arms. They were outraged because women were facing the awful prospect of actually having to give birth to the children they conceived. But Health Minister, Michael Ferguson, reassured them; his government would subsidise their travel to the mainland to procure an abortion. Additionally, he cryptically stated that there are now two new baby-killing businesses open in the state. Mr Ferguson said:
“It’s not the fact that Tasmanian women have to fly interstate but what we have done is provide support for women who choose to. There was a period where a private provider had withdrawn and there were no other surgical options, that’s no longer the case.”Local pro-lifers have been unable to shed any light on his remarks.
The Labor Party
Australia's Labor Party is notoriously pro-abortion, although there are several courageous pro-life Labor MPS who continue to hold to the hope that they can turn the party around. One such MP is Madeleine Ogilvle. Ms Ogilvie was once recruited by the Labor pro-abortion wing, Emily's List, who later told her that she must advocate for abortion and euthanasia or leave the group. Ms Ogilvie chose the latter. [More on the Salt Mine website here.] She has been in the news this month over an election sign of hers being displayed near a newly-closed abortion facility. By contrast, Labor's state leader is a passionate advocate for abortion. Rebecca White has pledged to make surgical abortions available through Tasmania's public health system if her party wins next week's election. [Source]. She believes that infanticide is an ordinary medical procedure which should be available in public hospitals, but failing that, will fund a stand-alone facility. However Labor's love of abortion doesn't end at the state level. Federal Labor leader, Bill Shorten has promised to send $1 million to Tasmania to kill the state's babies, if Labor is elected at the next federal election. He stated, "Labor’s commitment to providing reproductive health services in Tasmania’s public system is expected to benefit up to 250 women a year." And who could forget the remarks by Deputy Labor Leader, Tanya Plibersek, as reported in a recent article on this site:
“How pathetic that both the local ALP leader, Rebecca White and the federal ALP leader Bill Shorten’s main promise to the women of Tasmania is a place especially built to be used to kill their babies before birth.
The Greens
The Greens are well-known for their aggressive stance when it comes to protecting every endangered species other than human beings. So it's not surprise that they entered the debate about Tasmania's abortion situation. Leader of the Greens, Cassy O'Connor, stated that:
"The private sector is not the answer, and nor is being flown to Melbourne. We know that the Health Minister has an ideological opposition to abortion, we understand that, but he is the health minister of Tasmania and responsible for the wellbeing of women."
Strange that 'wellbeing of women' and 'giving birth to your child' are seen as mutually exclusive. Even Federal Richard di Natale weighed in, adding that "if Tasmania will not fund abortions publicly, the federal government should." The Greens' hypocrisy knows no limits: they wholeheartedly support exclusion-zones around abortion businesses, although pro-lifers are peaceful and can potentially save lives. But they were willing to go to the High Court to block exclusion-zones which stop feral environmentalists from hindering loggers as they go about their lawful business.
The Liberal Party
Perhaps the biggest disappointment of the three major parties is the Liberals. In general, the Tasmanian Liberals aren't emphatically pro-abortion, with all members but one voting against the decriminalisation of abortion in 2013. The exception was Vanessa Goodwin, who unfortunately was recommended as a candidate by many well-meaning Christians, simply by virtue of her belonging to the Liberal Party. However, no matter how sincere many of its members may be, the Liberals, who've held power for almost four years, have done absolutely nothing to roll back the dreadful laws. Remember, this is the law which made it legal to kill babies to the day of their birth, and made it illegal for doctors not to refer a woman for abortion. This law made it illegal for pro-life people to offer help to vulnerable women outside an abortion facility - a witness which isn't even carried out regularly in the state. With few abortion providers and minimal public witness, the law stands as a testimony to the hatred and fear of the pro-life community by proponents of abortion. While the Liberals' official policy is not to fund abortions through the state system, their stance of providing travel assistance for women wishing to terminate the life of their child on the mainland is typically spineless. These politicians are dead-wrong if they think this absolves them of guilt. They are accomplices to abortion - formally and materially assisting mothers to procure abortions. The very availability of this assistance may be the factor that stops a woman pushing past the mindset of aborting her child and into a decision of accepting him or her. It stacks the odds against the child even more heavily.
Conclusion
A close look at the major parties' election promises is revealing. [Click here to read them all]. Lots of money for hospitals and schools and silly renewable energy targets. Some want to allow medicinal cannabis and others want to crack down on ice. This is all in addition to the daily increase of the abortion ante. But whether these are core pledges or pinky promises is of no consequence: there is no mention anywhere, by any party, of assistance for women who want to keep their babies. No funding is mentioned for pregnancy centres or for pregnant women to fly anywhere for anything. Except to have their babies killed. We're often told that 'politics is the art of the possible, ' and indeed, there are times to act strategically in order to achieve a goal. Perhaps it isn't yet possible for an ostensibly pro-life party to completely roll back an abortion law. But there is absolutely no excuse for providing assistance for mothers to engage in abortion tourism or for failing to fund any form of support that enables vulnerable mothers to fulfil their destinies and birth their children.
