Hundreds gather to rally for life

Published: 21 March 2010
By: Paul Dobbyn

LAWS introduced in Victoria requiring doctors and nurses to assist with abortions could eventually be introduced in Queensland, a speaker at Brisbane's Rally for Life has warned.

The rally, attended by more than 800 pro-life supporters, was predominantly peaceful although one of 28 pro-abortion protesters was arrested for failing to obey police orders to stay away from the guest speakers' Queens Park stage.

Victorian Liberal MP Bernie Finn told the March 13 rally that Queensland Premier Anna Bligh was "not to be trusted" when she said abortion would not be liberalised in Queensland.

Other speakers included Cherish Life Queensland state president Teresa Martin and Toowoomba GP and Queensland secretary of the World Federation of Doctors Who Respect Human Life Dr David van Gend.

A 6000-signature petition against decriminalisation of abortion was also presented to State Member for Beaudesert Aidan McLindon.

Ms Martin said Mr Finn in his speech said "exactly such an undertaking as Anna Bligh's (not to decriminalise abortion) was given in Victoria".

"Mr Finn said, despite this undertaking, within months the pro-abortion legislation was 'done and dusted'," Ms Martin said.
"Not one amendment out of 60 proposed was allowed - not even the one that proposed that doctors and nurses should have a conscience vote in such matters."

Ms Martin said it was "alarming" to think such legislation could be passed in Queensland or "anywhere else for that matter".

"Never before in history have doctors been at the whim of their patients," she said.

At the conclusion of the rally hundreds of balloons with pro-life slogans such as "Cherish Life" were released.

The organisations sponsoring the rally included Cherish Life Queensland, Right to Life Australia, Australian Family Association, Family Voice Australia, Lutherans for Life, Catholic Medical Guild of St Luke, Fertility Care, National Civic Council and the John Paul II Centre for Family and Life.