News

Published: 25 February 2021

Speaking exclusively to FamilyVoice Australia, former senator Bob Day has explained the resolve of his Australian Family Party to unseat key Liberal MPs at next year’s state election, owing to their voting on abortion last week in the South Australian Parliament.

His party will especially target Paula Luethen (MP for King - in the Golden Grove region) and Richard Harvey (MP for Newland - in the Tea Tree Gully area). Both hold their seats for the Liberals on small margins.

Although Dr Harvey voted against the abortion bill at the third reading stage, he and Ms Luethen rejected the key amendment moved by Hon David Speirs, designed to prevent late term abortions for mental health reasons. Ms Luethen voted for the bill at the third reading.

“Our assessment of each member’s position on the bill relates to their voting on the crucial Speirs amendment on 17th February,” Bob Day told FamilyVoice after the abortion debate.

“We had personally contacted first term MPs Richard Harvey in the Seat of Newland, and Paula Luethen in the Seat of King, but they chose to ignore our pleas,” he said.

“During the debate, particularly on the ‘abortion-to-birth’ provisions, the Australian Family Party stated publicly it would direct its preferences at the next State election against any sitting member who voted for ‘abortion-to-birth’,” Mr Day said.

Referring to his party as “basically Family First version 2.0,” Mr Day said Family First achieved 8 - 9 per cent of first preference votes in Newland and King. He noted the MPs representing those seats obtained electoral margins of less than 2 per cent.

Led by Deputy Premier Vickie Chapman, the SA Liberals introduced the Termination of Pregnancy Bill (2020) that gained approval from lower house MPs last week.

“It is clear from the Liberal position on abortion, and its proposals to undermine faith-based organisations running schools, hospitals and other services, that some State MPs need to be replaced.”

 How SA MPs voted on the abortion bill

Published: 23 February 2021

It’s rarely reported in the mainstream media, but you read it here: Australia’s pro-life movement is growing.

Back in September 2019, 10,000 pro-lifers rallied in Sydney’s Hyde Park.

And two weeks ago, on 6 February 2021, 5000 pro-lifers rallied in front of the Adelaide Oval.

But whereas Sydney’s population is close to 5 million, Adelaide has just 1.3 million. Adelaide’s 2021 pro-life crowd, per million, was nearly twice as big as Sydney’s in 2019.

Australia’s pro-life movement is indeed growing.

Sadly, it was not enough in 2019 to persuade NSW MPs to defeat their abortion-to-birth bill, but pro-lifers were able to achieve some worthwhile amendments.

It was the same in the SA parliament last week. Abortion-to-birth has been decriminalised, but with tighter restrictions than the original bill. There is a ban on sex-selection abortions and a requirement for counselling as well as information on abortion risks and alternatives such as adoption. Babies born alive after an abortion will now be given the same care as other babies after birth.

So there has been some progress. If these changes are enacted, we will hopefully see more SA babies saved from abortion and available for adoption by some of the loving couples on the long waiting list.

Andrea and Neil Loughhead told the huge crowd at the Adelaide Walk for Life about their adoption “miracle”. A medical episode when she was a child meant Andrea was unable to bear children. After passing the thorough vetting process for adoptive couples, they waited – and waited.

Finally, after about seven years, they were offered a baby girl – one of only two babies available for adoption in SA that year. It was indeed a miracle – some years, no baby has been released.

We are praying that this situation will change, along with Australia’s anti-life culture. FamilyVoice Victoria Director Peter Stevens gives thanks for the growing number of supporters who are now placing small “365 Life” cards in buses, parks, cafés and supermarkets where passers-by can see their simple pro-life message.

We pray that all Australians will come to know the truth of Psalm 139:13 – that every child in the womb is God’s precious creation, deserving our love and protection:

And a final thought. Our current culture is not only anti-life, it is anti-faith. Our freedom to speak God’s truth is under attack as never before, especially in Victoria where the new ban on “change or suppression practices” even includes requested prayer.

Peter Downie - National Director

FamilyVoice Australia

Published: 22 February 2021

The NSW Government’s proposal that all “gaming machine” players register and preload money onto a government-regulated card that would operate similarly to the state’s cashless Opal cards (which are for public transport) is welcomed with caution. 

NSW gamblers fed a staggering $2.17 billion to poker machines in late 2020 – the highest yearly increase since 2017 according to a latest report.

Gamblers in New South Wales lost millions more to club poker machines in the second half of 2020 compared to the same period in 2019 confirming FamilyVoice findings that gambling has boomed under COVID-19.

Whilst Church leaders have pleaded with MPs to back the NSW Government's plans for a state-issued gambling card, warning that harm minimisation measures are grossly inadequate, FamilyVoice is urging the government to extend the card proposal to all modes of gambling – racing, casinos, sport betting and on-line gamblers through the establishment of a Repeat Offenders register.

“Targeting only poker machine gambling is a wolf in sheep’s clothing as it will force problem gamblers to alternative gambling options”, said Greg Bondar.

Gambling, whether casinos or other forms, is a serious wealth hazard with a recent report showing that people who bet 3.6% of monthly outgoings were a third more likely to miss a mortgage payment. It is a proven fact that each game one plays at a casino has a statistical probability against that person winning. 

“FamilyVoice is committed to ensuring that families do not suffer additional hardships under COVID-19 which has resulted in job losses, confinement, and unfortunately deaths which has severely impacted the family,” said FamilyVoice Gambling Reform spokesman Greg Bondar.

“Gambling is blatantly anti-family, soul-destroying and harmful.
“When mortgages go unpaid, family violence increases and mental health suffers. 

“We call on all media to stop promoting gambling on radio and TV, especially advertising in peak viewing and listening times,” added Mr Bondar.

Published: 22 February 2021

Government silence on 25 born-alive babies left to die after an abortion procedure in Western Australia should alarm every WA political party into calling for a parliamentary inquiry, according to FamilyVoice Australia.

“The WA Coroner made legal recommendations on WA babies left to die after an abortion procedure to the Attorney General John Quigley in January 2020, but nearly a year later Mr Quigley has still not disclosed any of them, or what the Government’s response is,” said FamilyVoice WA Director Darryl Budge.

“Every WA party and candidate who declares that they protect human lives from deadly illnesses must surely rise to ensure defenceless children have not been illegally or improperly treated during or after their birth.

“Queensland MP George Christensen has rightly pointed out that Australia’s laws are in breach of two international agreements to which it is a signatory: The Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

“FamilyVoice therefore calls on political parties across Australia to explain on what grounds anyone could not support the principles behind his Human Rights (Children Born Alive Protection) Act 2021 bill.”

The bill provides that the usual duty of medical care or treatment for a child born alive in other circumstances is equally applied to a child born alive during an abortion.

In Queensland, 204 babies were born alive after an abortion procedure from 2005-2015.

The Victorian Health Department reported in 2016 that 33 babies were born alive and then died after surviving an abortion procedure. In 2012 and 2014, the numbers were 53 and 38 respectively.

The WA Health Department has previously published the existence of 27 born-alive babies but revised the figure down to 25 after subsequent investigation of medical records.

“The fact that a cursory document check uncovered inconsistent data further justifies the need for a comprehensive parliamentary inquiry,” Mr Budge said.

“Why has the Attorney General John Quigley and the Health Department not taken any practical or legal action to protect infants born alive, and ensure they are not abandoned and given the maximum care possible?

“Every one of these babies that was expected to die defied all odds and survived induced premature deliveries, yet they were left to die.

“It is beyond time for all political parties and candidates declare their support for an inquiry. Silence on the need to bolster care for defenceless babies is not a legitimate option.

“According to WA Health Department data, there is no record of medical intervention or resuscitation being undertaken in any of the 25 cases.”

According to South Australian Attorney General’s office, a baby that survives an abortion “is wrapped in a blanket and the mother is given the opportunity to hold the baby as it dies.”