Abortion activists in Australia are using very young girls as an excuse to push a radical new abortion bill that could legalize abortions up until birth.
The bill, proposed by Queensland state MP Rob Pyne, would legalize abortion without any limits through all nine months of pregnancy, ABC News Australia reports. It would be devastating for unborn babies in the Australian state, which currently prohibits abortions except in rare cases when the mother’s life or health is in danger.
“These provisions are archaic, outdated and have no place in a modern liberal democracy,” Pyne told parliament on Tuesday. “Surely a young person should not have to ruin their young lives by proceeding with a pregnancy if they’re not ready and their family and their doctor think it inadvisable.”
Pyne introduced the bill in response to a heavily publicized story of a 12-year-old pregnant girl who had to seek a Queensland court’s permission to have an abortion earlier this spring. The young girl was suicidal, and a judge ruled that she could have an abortion because of her psychological health, LifeNews reported.
Pyne previously said it was “cruel and unusual” that the young girl had to receive permission from a court to have an abortion.
The pro-abortion group counseling group Children By Choice also is using young girls to push for Pyne’s bill. The group told ABC that they see two children under 14 every month seeking advice about abortions.
Here is more from the report:
Counsellor Liz Price said most of the abortions were happening in private hospitals as current laws made it too difficult to use the public system.
“We see access significantly compounded for under 14-year-olds,” she said.
“There are only two private clinics in all of Queensland that have a licence that allows them to perform procedures of that nature on an under 14-year-old one in the far north of Queensland and one down here in south-east Queensland.”
Emily’s List supports progressive female Labor candidates trying to reach Parliament.
“We certainly have a few members of the State Government and they will be supporting the woman’s right to choose,” Lisa Carey from the group said.
Pro-lifers in the Australian state are standing strong against the bill, however. Cherish Life Queensland’s Teresa Martin said she opposed “all parts of the bill” during a Tuesday interview, according to News.com.au.
“There may be situations where the baby is unable to survive but how does killing them in the womb help a mother particularly in the later terms?” Martin said.
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The bill could be extremely dangerous for young girls as well as unborn babies. Reports do not indicate whether Pyne’s bill has measures to protect vulnerable young girls by requiring a parent or guardian’s consent before she has an abortion. Parental consent laws are widely supported. They can help protect young girls from sexual abusers who often use abortion to cover up their crimes. Parental consent measures also can help save desperate young girls from future regrets about aborting their unborn child, and studies show that these laws help save unborn babies from abortions.
In the case of the 12-year-old, it is uncertain whether the girl received all the facts about abortion, its potential effects on her physical and mental health and the facts about her unborn baby’s life. Aborting an unborn child does not resolve psychological distress for many women. A number of studies have found the opposite to be true. Yet, the judge ruled that an abortion would be in the best interest of the young girl’s mental health.
The 12 year old’s mother also appeared to be pushing for the abortion. The Guardian reports the girl’s mother said she was not in a position to assist with bringing up a child. It is troublesome given studies that show at least half of women report being pressured to have an abortion.
The Liberal National Party and Labor Party are scheduled to consider the bill this week, according to The Daily Mail. Labor members appear to be supportive of the pro-abortion measure, while Liberal leaders said their party’s policy is “that there should be no change to the current laws in place,” according to The Guardian.
Both pro-life and pro-abortion protesters held rallies outside the Queensland Parliament on Tuesday.
