Australia: Anti-Abortion Campaigners Are Calling Queenslanders To Say “Babies Will Die” If They Vote A Certain Way

Anti-Abortion Campaigners Are Calling Queenslanders To Say "Babies Will Die" If They Vote A Certain Way

"If Labor is re-elected more and more babies will never be born," the recorded calls claim.

Posted on November 18, 2017
Gina Rushton

Queenslander Chris Wright's landline is private but this week she answered the phone to a pre-recorded message.

The voice urged her to put the Labor government last at the state's upcoming election or else "more and more babies will never be born".

"It was just despicable and I'm so annoyed," the 57-year-old told BuzzFeed News.

Continued at source: https://www.buzzfeed.com/ginarushton/anti-abortion-campaigners-are-calling-queenslanders-and?utm_term=.hpXqp0m4GB#.whoMbaYp3d

Australia: Women Dressed As Handmaids Are Protesting To Get Politicians To Take A Pro-Choice Pledge

Women Dressed As Handmaids Are Protesting To Get Politicians To Take A Pro-Choice Pledge

"The person you vote for could determine whether or not abortion remains in the Criminal Code in Queensland."
Posted on November 18, 2017
Gina Rushton
BuzzFeed News Reporter, Australia
Share On facebook

Women dressed in striking red robes and white winged bonnets will protest around Queensland ahead of the state election next Saturday, to remind voters that whether or not abortion remains a crime under state law will be decided by whoever wins at the polls.

The protesters are dressed like the handmaids in TV show The Handmaid’s Tale, an adaptation of the Margaret Atwood classic in which fertile women are denied bodily autonomy and forced to carry pregnancies against their will.

They will call for those running in the election to join more than 140 candidates who have signed a pro-choice pledge, which is run by independent lobby group Fair Agenda and backed by The Human Rights Law Centre, Women’s Legal Service Queensland, White Ribbon and the Queensland Council of Unions.

Continued at source: https://www.buzzfeed.com/ginarushton/women-dressed-as-handmaids-are-protesting-queenslands?utm_term=.wwNV5eMXAv#.mnJ3pMqxwo

New Zealand: This Is Why Abortion Is An Election Issue In Queensland

This Is Why Abortion Is An Election Issue In Queensland

One candidate believes abortion is "state-sanctioned coercion".
Posted on November 09, 2017, 21:23 GMT
Gina Rushton

Whether or not abortion remains a crime in Queensland will likely be decided by who is elected to government on November 25.

In February independent Cairns MP Rob Pyne withdrew bills to decriminalise abortion in Queensland a day before they were due to be debated in parliament, after Liberal National Party opposition leader Tim Nicholls vowed that “every single member” of his party would vote down the legislation.

The legislation would have failed, as Labor MPs had been given a conscience vote on the issue, and other independents had indicated their opposition to abortion.

Continued at source: https://www.buzzfeed.com/ginarushton/abortion-is-becoming-an-election-issue-in-queensland

Australia: A health issue, not a crime: it’s time to scrap outdated abortion laws

A health issue, not a crime: it's time to scrap outdated abortion laws
Archaic abortion laws are still oppressing women in Australia. We should finally step up to medical developments and social expectations

Caroline de Costa, Heather Douglas
Saturday 24 June 2017

On Wednesday the Queensland law reform commission (QLRC) received a reference to consider how Queensland should amend laws relating to termination of pregnancy and remove abortion offences from the criminal code. The QLRC has 12 months to report on how to repeal these archaic Queensland laws dating back to 1861.

Continued at source: The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/jun/24/a-health-issue-not-a-its-time-to-scrap-outdated-abortion-laws

Australia Has A Case Of Deja Vu When It Comes To Abortion Law Reform

Australia Has A Case Of Deja Vu When It Comes To Abortion Law Reform
Two states have rejected abortion decriminalisation this year.

Posted on May 16, 2017
Gina Rushton
BuzzFeed News Reporter, Australia

All members of the NSW Liberal-National coalition voted against the legislation, which would also have established safe access zones around hospitals and clinics where the procedure is available.

In February, a similar bill was withdrawn from Queensland's parliament the day before it was due to be debated after every member of that state's Liberal-National Party vowed to vote against it.

Here is how decriminalisation similarly failed in both states:

Continued at source: Buzzfeed: https://www.buzzfeed.com/ginarushton/australia-has-a-case-of-deja-vu-when-it-comes-to-abortion

Australia: These Surgery Raids Show The Risks Of Abortion Remaining In The Criminal Code

These Surgery Raids Show The Risks Of Abortion Remaining In The Criminal Code

“It was something we knew could happen at any time, but we didn’t think it ever really would.”

posted on Mar. 5, 2017
by Gina Rushton
BuzzFeed News Reporter, Australia

Queensland surgeon Dr David Grundmann went to work on the morning of May 20, 1985, at the Townsville clinic at which he was the medical director. By midday he was holed up in a police station.

“It came completely out of the blue when the police came into the premises and requested that everything be stopped, produced a search warrant and charged me with performing illegal abortions,” Grundmann, 70, told BuzzFeed News.

Continued at source: Buzzfeed: https://www.buzzfeed.com/ginarushton/these-surgery-raids-show-the-risks-of-abortion-remaining-in?utm_term=.drpMXRYQK9#.ck5ZnxXYB7

Abortion decriminalisation bills withdrawn from Queensland Parliament agenda

Abortion decriminalisation bills withdrawn from Queensland Parliament agenda
Feb 28, 2017
ABC News

A debate to decriminalise abortion in Queensland has been cancelled and the issue postponed until at least the next term of parliament, after LNP MPs indicated they would not support the proposal.

Independent MP Rob Pyne has withdrawn his two bills, which were scheduled for debate tomorrow night.

Instead, the existing laws will be referred to the Queensland Law Reform Commission (QLRC) to provide advice that the Labor Government has pledged to enact if it is re-elected.

Continued at source: ABC News: https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/national/abortion-decriminalisation-bills-withdrawn-from-queensland-parliament-agenda/ar-AAnAagP

28.02.2017