PRO-LIFE groups have rallied behind two Catholic senators from Queensland to help them thwart what they believed was an attempt to have the Senate support abortion on demand.
The Nationals’ Senate Leader, Senator Ron Boswell, and fellow Nationals Senator Barnaby Joyce opposed a move to ratify a United Nations treaty on reproductive rights, claiming it would approve abortion on demand.
Senator Boswell said the Australian Democrats motion, which was flagged on September 8 only to lapse before being tabled, was a stealth campaign and an ambush.
He said Democrats leader Senator Lyn Allison and Labor Senator Jan McLucas gave notice on September 8 that they intended to move a motion the following day to have the Senate recognise the UN treaty.
Senator Boswell said the motion used the cover of a United Nations report on poverty to raise the issue of reproductive health rights.
Right to Life Australia chairwoman Margaret Tighe said Senator Boswell and Senator Joyce phoned her office to alert Right to Life of the move.
She said Right to Life Australia feared future negotiated amendments would not preclude abortion and called on its members nationwide to make mass protests to senators.
Senator Allison’s office said the notice was not withdrawn but had lapsed because of the opposition.
Her office did not rule out the possibility that the issue would be resubmitted.
