Australia Lawmakers at Odds Over RU 486 Abortion Drug Drinking Celebration 
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by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
February 23, 2006
Canberra, Australia (LifeNews.com) — Pro-life lawmakers are upset at a sign put up in the halls of the Australian parliament after a vote last week that will likely pave the way to legalizing the dangerous abortion drug RU 486.
Family First senator Steve Fielding took video footage of a sign posted by four senators who sponsored the measure to strip Health Minister Tony Abbott of his authority over the drug and hand it to an agency expected to legalize it.
The sign read "RU486 drinks" and directed bill supported to a conference room in the Australia Senate where they could participate in a celebration of the bill’s approval by parliament.
A spokeswoman for Senator Fielding told Seven News that he was "appalled" by the sign.
"Senator Fielding filmed his video blog about the ‘RU486 drinks’ sign because he was appalled that the female senators who co-sponsored the bill were hosting a champagne victory party following a vote on such a sensitive issue," she said.
Fielding put the video footage online and now he’s being told to remove it.
After a complaint from Senate Democrats, Senate president Paul Calvert told Senator Fielding to remove the footage, according to Seven News.
Under Parliament rules, no one is allowed to film footage or take pictures of most corridors in the parliament without permission.
Fielding has responded with a complaint of his own to the Senate president’s office.
"We are investigating that because you’re not allowed to put up signs in the private corridors," a spokesman for Calvert told Seven News.
