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Advocacy organisation FamilyVoice Australia is calling on the Australian government to provide positive compassionate solutions for women both in Australia and abroad who may feel they have no choice but to access abortion.

“Delivering an extra $9.5 million of Australia’s overseas aid to abortion provider Planned Parenthood is not the right solution to the problem,” said FamilyVoice National Director Ashley Saunders. 

“This decision made by Foreign Minister Julie Bishop yesterday is ill-informed.

“Australia should not partner with SPRINT co-founder Planned Parenthood, which has profiteered from selling baby parts in the USA. Australia should instead fund birthing facilities and obstetrics through more trustworthy organisations.

“Many mothers actually want to keep their babies but lack the support they need. We should be helping women in developing countries with access to proper birthing facilities, information and support, not abortion.

“These same things should be made available to women in Australia.”

One positive compassionate action would be to introduce baby drop-off boxes around Australia, at key public buildings. 

In February 2016, NSW Deputy State Coroner Hugh Dillon recommended introducing baby drop-off boxes following the tragic death of a newborn baby whose remains were discovered at a Sydney beach. Baby safe boxes have been used with great success in other countries including South Korea, the Czech Republic, Germany, Canada and Japan. 

FamilyVoice also calls upon the government to introduce “safe haven” laws which protect mothers who abandon newborns from facing prosecution.

“Mothers shouldn’t face prosecution if they feel they have no choice but to abandon their newborns. Our government policies need to provide mothers with what they actually need - love, compassion and support; not termination.”

Pro-life organisation FamilyVoice Australia has welcomed the action of President Trump to cancel the international funding of abortion by American taxpayers.

FamilyVoice is calling for Australia to follow President Trump on this issue.

“Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull would do well to pay attention to the growing conservative agenda and remove AusAID funding of overseas abortions,” said FamilyVoice National Director, Ashley Saunders.

“Funding spent on abortion is money that is not available for poverty alleviation.

“Killing babies in Third World nations does nothing to address the causes of hardship in poor countries.

“It’s time Australia ceased funding overseas abortion,” he said.

Children should be protected from chemical or surgical sex ‘change’ intervention in the same way that the law bans female genital mutilation, says FamilyVoice national director Ashley Saunders.

“Minors are not permitted to buy alcohol or cigarettes and yet they’re allowed to be chemically and surgically mutilated.

“Children are too young to make life-changing decisions which are likely to bring more confusion and harm,” he said.

“Studies have shown that sex ‘change’ intervention creates greater psychological harm.  Johns Hopkins University and Medical School scrapped its sex “change” program for this very reason.

“There has already been a large increase in children being treated for gender confusion over the last decade.  Making it easier to subject children to sex ‘change’ intervention will only cause more harm.

“Rather than encourage children to entertain confused thoughts and mask their problems with radical interventions, we should be helping them by treating the underlying cause.”

“State governments should work together with the federal attorney-general to protect children by banning sex change interventions in the same way that we ban female genital mutilation.”

Christian advocacy group FamilyVoice Australia is reviewing the security of its operations following the incident at the Australian Christian Lobby HQ.

“Pro-family groups get a steady stream of abusive communications, but this apparent terror attack is unprecedented,” said FamilyVoice Australia National Director Ashley Saunders.

“We are witnessing increased hostilities towards Christianity and pro-family values,” he said.

“Opponents of traditional family values and the Christian faith are entitled to express their view but should never resort to violence,” he added.

“FamilyVoice stands with many Australians praying for ACL staff and for our nation.”

Parents choose faith-based schools, expecting that all staff will uphold their faith’s values

A bill which would have restricted the right of religious bodies to hire staff with consistent beliefs was defeated in the Victorian Parliament yesterday.

The Equal Opportunity Amendment (Religious Exceptions) Bill failed to pass after a 19 all tied vote in the upper house.

Please attribute the following statement to FamilyVoice State Director Peter Stevens:

“The Victorian Parliament has made the right decision in rejecting this appalling crackdown on religious freedom.

“It is only fair that faith-based organisations be able to hire staff with consistent beliefs and values.

“Freedom of religion is a fundamental human right which must be respected by government.

“The move smacked of hypocrisy.  Would Premier Daniel Andrews employ a member of the Liberals or One Nation as one of his key advisors?  Faith-based organisations should enjoy the same freedom to employ people with a consistent ethos."