In April 2020, Flinders University researchers published an online survey entitled ‘Australian Perceptions of Abortion Study’. The survey appeared to have bias and, concerned that it may be referred to in abortion debates in state parliament in coming months or years, I applied under Freedom of Information laws (FOI) for the survey’s supporting data.

South Australia is set to become the next state to criminalise LGBT "conversion therapy." I think it's time this whole thing was called out for the hoax and the anti-religion dog whistle that it is.

Please allow us to pray

On Wednesday, 22 July 2020, the SA Lower House will debate and possibly vote on the Health Care (Safe Access) Amendment Bill 2020.

The Bill will establish 70,000 square metre zones in at least 12 areas (possibly more) in South Australia where it will be against the law to communicate about abortion in a way that can be seen and heard by those entering or leaving a place where abortions are carried out.

Troy Bell the Independent member for Mt Gambier has tabled a motion in the Lower House which calls for the removal of barriers to adoption so that more SA children could be placed in permanent homes rather than in foster care.

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 decriminalisation of prostitution supports pimps and oppressive men and harms women. Despite the House of Assembly rejecting the decriminalisation of prostitution only 7 months ago, Greens MLC Tammy Franks has reintroduced a nearly identical version of her previous prostitution decriminalisation bill that was convincingly defeated in the Lower House.

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 freedom to meet and worship is not only a fundamental human right, it is also an essential community service sustaining spiritual, social and mental wellbeing. The Australian Christian Lobby supports Thursday’s call by Lifepoint Church to lift restrictions on worship meetings.

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.