QUEENSLAND Premier Anna Bligh has given her Labor colleagues an opportunity to argue for the introduction of a private members bill to decriminalise abortion.
But at a closed-door caucus meeting yesterday, ahead of the resumption of state parliament today, no one challenged Ms Bligh's view that there is no need for any wholesale law reform on the issue.
An amendment to Section 282 of the Criminal Code is likely to be introduced this week and it will have the support of opposition MPs, given that it merely clarifies existing laws to resolve legal uncertainty that has prompted doctors to stop performing abortions.
Ms Bligh, who yesterday acknowledged abortion would always be a matter for debate, said the move was necessary as science had progressed past the provisions of the current law.
"It's the government's preference that this matter be resolved this week," she said.
Pro-choice demonstrators say they have the green light from police to conduct a vigil outside the Cairns courthouse where a young couple will appear on Thursday, charged with breaching Queensland's controversial criminal law on abortion.
Organisers of the protest say they expect up to 200 people to take part, potentially raising tensions with anti-abortion advocates who have also vowed to have a presence at Cairns Magistrates Court when 19-year-old Tegan Simone Leach and boyfriend Sergie Brennan, 21, face committal for illegally procuring an abortion.
Fallout from the case, involving police allegations that the couple unlawfully used self-administered abortion drugs, has caused obstetricians across Queensland to seek legal advice on their own situation, resulting in the withdrawal of medical abortion services in public hospitals.
The co-ordinator of the Cairns Women's Network, Carole Ford, said the courthouse vigil would start tomorrow and continue round the clock until Friday.
Cherish Life Queensland has been tightlipped about its plans, saying only that it would monitor the proceedings and possibly maintain a low-key presence outside the court.
Source: The Australian Online Newspaper,
1st September, 2009