Australian Premier Refuses To Modernise Abortion Laws

The Australian reported on an ongoing case in the Australian state of Queensland over a young couple facing up to seven years in jail for illegally procuring an abortion. This couple, aged 19 and 21, imported the abortion pill, RU-486, from the Ukraine illegally.

Queensland is so backward in its attitude towards abortion that this poor couple has had their car vandalised, house fire-bombed, the woman’s job lost, and they are now in hiding until the court proceedings can be finalised. In Queensland it is only legal to have an abortion if the mother’s life is in danger and this is interpreted with very strict limitations.

This is the first abortion trial in Queensland in 23 years and the Premier has refused to intervene to assist this couple. She claims to not have enough support from the parliament.

I think this is a tragic story and that the Family Planning Queensland and all the related pro-choice groups should lobby for this law to be changed. Nobody wants an abortion. Nobody is pro-abortion. It is simply sometimes the best choice for a woman and her partner. The people of Queensland are cruel to, on top of the difficult decision to terminate the pregnancy, add the persecution and assault, not to mention loss of income and lifestyle, to this young couple.

In Australia it is well known that many women travel to other states to get abortions as it is harder to get one in Queensland than anywhere else. I hope the masses of media attention on this case and advocacy groups can do something to change these laws and the stigma attached because nobody deserves this kind of treatment.