ENDEAVOUR FORUM NEWSLETTER No. 118, APRIL 2005

 

 

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WHAT THE HON.TONY ABBOT, MINISTER FOR HEALTH CAN DO


There should be  common ground between  pro-lifers and pro-choicers.  The latter  claim that abortion is a sad choice which women are  forced to make, so they should be pleased at policies which help to reduce the incidence (that is except for abortion providers themselves whose livelihood and profits depend on the number of  unborn children they kill).   Here are a few regulatory changes which Mr. Abbott could implement without locking horns with the pro-choice lobby. 

  l.  Funding for abortion counselling to be removed from abortion providers as it is not in their financial interests to reduce the number of abortions, and given instead to   pregnancy support services so they can provide ultrasound imaging for their clients.  Experience in the USA indicates that once mothers see their babies on ultrasound they often decide against abortion.  Funding abortion providers to provide "counselling" is akin to funding tobacco companies to run a "Quit" campaign. 

  2.  The Coalition Government is establishing "Family Relationship Centres"  which will design "parenting plans" for divorcing couples  so   that custody, residence and  other issues in regard to children can be resolved without bitter disputes.  These Centres could be expanded - or separate  government Centres established -  where  pregnant girls and women can  receive advice and  assistance  on how they can continue with their pregnancy without abandoning their education or chosen career path.  The mothers should be encouraged to identify the fathers of their babies so  they also can  be included in the "parenting plans".  These government centres should not be "neutral"  but should be life affirming as 100,000 abortions every year are NOT IN THE NATIONAL INTEREST, quite apart  from moral implications or the "rights of the unborn child".  Australia needs these babies - Treasurer Peter Costello has pointed out  we need future taxpayers  to fund pensions and health care for the aged.  Simple arithmetic can show that with a birth rate of l.7, future taxpayers will not be able to support themselves plus two retired parents. 

  3.  Suggestions about cutting Medicare funding raise the ire of feminists who wax dramatic waving coathangers around or dumping them in Mr. Abbott's office,  but Mr. Abbott could decree by regulation that   second trimester  pregnancies, if the mothr’s  health or life is in danger, should be looked after  in public hospitals.  David Baartz, ob-gyn at the Royal Women's Hospital said there had been cases of women being admitted to hospital after private-clinic abortions with complications including hysterectomies, uterine perforations and bladder and bowel tearing, all requiring surgery.  "It has totally destroyed fertility in a number of women", Dr. Baartz said.  He was backed by the Queensland. branch of the Australian Medical Association which said late terminations should not be performed in private clinics. 

4.  There should be an open inquiry into the entire abortion industry.  There is evidence that some abortion providers are "double dipping" by bulk billing  AND claiming payments from their clients.  While receiving such cash payments, they may well be fiddling their tax returns too.

 

Write to  Mr. Abbott, send him a copy of this page.

 

 

 

 

 

Member Organisation, World Council for Life and Family

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