From Bill Muehlenberg, Tasmania, Abortion, and Big Brother,

Although abortion has been effectively open slather in Australia for decades now, some states are still moving to give it even greater protected status, and in fact make things much harder on those who would seek to prevent the slaughter of the innocents.

That was certainly the case with the reprehensible abortion bill passed in Victoria in 2008. One amendment after another was voted down, thus making it one of the most hardcore pro-abortion bills anywhere in the world. But it seems the state of Tasmania is trying to take this even further.

On Friday a private members bill was introduced which would make baby killing so much easier in the Apple Isle.

Also references an excellent article from Tasmanian writer Mishka Gora:

“The neighbouring state of Victoria decriminalized abortion in 2008. Ms O’Byrne says that this is the model for her bill. But

• the Victorian bill contains no penalties for conscientious objectors; the Tasmanian bill does.
• the Victorian bill doesn’t mention counsellors; the Tasmanian bill threatens counsellors with jail.
• the Victorian bill doesn’t mention protests; the Tasmanian bill threatens protesters with jail.”

“The Health Minister has been quite disingenuous about the scope and purpose of her bill in her statements to the media. She has mentioned none of these tyrannical measures and has given the public a mere two weeks [Note: under pressure extended by 2 weeks to 5 April] to respond to one of the most far-reaching pieces of abortion legislation ever proposed anywhere.”

Gora concludes, “Tasmanian legislators are being offered a choice between abortion at any stage and abortion at any stage plus criminalizing dissent. The minister wants to make abortion a health matter, not a criminal matter. But she wants to achieve this at the expense of freedom of conscience, freedom of speech, and common sense. After all, if it is a crime to perform an abortion without medical qualifications or a woman’s consent, shouldn’t it be in the criminal code? The law as it stands is quite sufficient, and to alter it is nothing less than tyrannical.”

*Please put in even a brief submission, standing against this draconian bill. See the government site here for all the necessary details: www.dhhs.tas.gov.au/pophealth/womens_health –

**Comments on the draft Bill must be in writing and emailed to public.health@dhhs.tas.gov.au or posted to Population Health Equity, GPO Box 125 Hobart, TAS, 7001.

All responses must be received by 5:00pm Friday 5 April 2013.

See, BISHOP’S PASTORAL LETTER: ABORTION LAW FOR TASMANIA? Update 16 March 2013