In typical fashion the Murdoch press is profiteering by selling lies; this time from far-right group, Cherish Life, which is opposing Rob Pyne’s bills decriminalizing abortion. Murdoch’s South-East Advertiser has taken money from J. Borger of Cherish Life to put out the misleading statement that women could have an ‘abortion at any stage of pregnancy, for any reason.’
Independent Rob Pyne has placed bills before parliament enabling a woman more than 24 weeks pregnant to have an abortion only if a doctor ‘reasonably believes continuing the pregnancy would involve greater risk of physical or mental injury’ than if it was terminated. A second doctor would also have to agree that continuing the pregnancy posed a greater risk.
In short, under the bills, women’s health is being taken out of the criminal code and placed in the health act. Nothing revolutionary there. The Cherish Life advert has translated this into: “women can get an abortion for any reason.” And Murdoch stands behind the line labelling it advertising.
On Tuesday, a bill to enact legislation that will de-register vans emblazoned with offensive slogans received bipartisan support in the Queensland Parliament. Wicked Campervans sporting offensive advertising will be de-registered. Yet mysognist advertising is still legal in Queensland, thanks to Mass Murdoch and his mates in the parliament. Neither Labor nor LNP has come out in favour of Rob Pyne’s bills preferring to leave it to a conscience vote for members of parliament (do they have a conscience?).
This is a political issue and requires a political response from the major parties. You expect the LNP to be in bed with the far-right but the hypocrisy of Labor has no bounds - they introduced the ‘wicked camper’ bill and then left the Rob Pyne’s bills to a conscience vote making their defeat likely - people reckon One Nation is dysfunctional, what about the Labor government? Isn’t it time to end the 110 year old nightmare for women and their partners and make abortion legal.
Ian Curr
15 Feb 2017
