We are being pushed by MPs into a clamp down state which shuts down freedom of speech and facilitates the commercialisation of abortion. The Health Care (Safe Access) Amendment Bill 2020 will ban any communication about abortion within 150 metres of a place where abortions are provided.

The Australian Christian Lobby said that a push for “no-speech” zones around SA abortion clinics, scheduled for State Parliament this week, relies on a deeply flawed survey.

Do you remember all those letters South Australians wrote to their State Coordinator, urging him not to use his Covid-19 emergency powers to change abortion law? Recently, South Australia’s Chief Public Health Officer wrote:

"The current legislation on abortion was not specifically changed by the [Covid-19 Emergency] Response Act. Accordingly, the legislation governing pregnancy terminations remains as agreed by Parliament prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. The decision to not change the current legislation on abortion was influenced by the fact that there was no evidence that this core health service had been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic."

(emphasis, by ACL)

The Australian Christian Lobby welcomes this week’s Queensland LNP announcement that, if elected, they will review the state's recently changed abortion laws. A LNP spokesperson flagged that provisions on abortion coercion, gestational limits and counselling requirements were the main targets for a review.

Describing people who pray quietly on the verge outside abortion clinics as ‘picketers’ is fake news, said Peter Abetz, WA State Director of the Australian Christian Lobby. He was responding to claims made by a spokeswoman from an abortion clinic.

On Tuesday, 12 May I ran a Zoom training session on meeting with MPs. Our focus was opposing the current push for abortion-to-birth legislation in South Australia. Over 35 people attended.

Unborn children feel pain in the womb, a position the Australian Christian Lobby has long advocated and is now highlighted by a significant British case. “Australian governments have a legal duty to update advice to expectant mothers,” ACL WA State Director Peter Abetz said today.

Thank you to all South Australian ACL supporters and others who reacted decisively last week to the news that that Attorney-General’s office had declared that the new COVID-19 Emergency laws would be used to override state abortion laws.

Act now to save children from abortion

As global COVID-19 pandemic responses unfolded, the Australian Christian Lobby repeatedly warned the South Australian government not to override state abortion laws. With a live debate underway in Parliament, now is not the time to make abortion more prevalent and more dangerous for women.