ABORTION will be available on-demand in New South Wales for women up to 22-weeks pregnant and available beyond that up to birth with the approval of two doctors with the passage of the NSW Abortion Law Reform Bill 2019 today.
The controversial abortion bill passed in the NSW Upper House 26-14, and was handed to the Lower House where it was passed.
The bill has caused significant political upheaval in the state’s Liberal party, almost leading to a leadership spill.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian was not in the chamber for the final vote.
Sydney Archbishop Anthony Fisher said on Facebook it was a “dark day” for NSW and a “defeat for humanity”.
“(It) may be the worst law passed in New South Wales in modern times, because it represents such a dramatic abdication of responsibility to protect the most vulnerable members of our community,” he said in a statement.
“Since the abolition of capital punishment in New South Wales in 1955, this is the only deliberate killing ever legalised in our state.
“Please pray for the conversion particularly of those parliamentarians who claim to be of Catholic or other Christian faith and yet supported this appalling law.
“Pray and work for better leaders.
“Pray for our state as it enters this deadly new territory. Pray above all for the safety of unborn babies and their mothers in NSW — for we ‘Love Them Both’.
“I had hoped that as the weeks passed since the Bill’s rushed introduction, its terrible realities would have become evident.
“Unfortunately, the majority of Legislative Council members voted for the Bill and against the best interests of vulnerable mothers and their unborn children, and despite the deep concerns many of you have raised in recent weeks.”
Cherish Life Queensland executive director Teeshan Johnson said she grieved the passing of the bill in the Upper House last night, especially without “essential and humane amendments”.
Amendments that succeeded included giving appropriate medical care if an abortion results in a live baby being born and providing some level of conscientious objection for doctors.
Amendments that failed included a requirement to provide pain relief to babies prior to abortion, a prohibition of the sale of aborted baby parts and informed consent conditions for women seeking abortions.
“The voting down of such amendments shows this Bill has nothing to do with abortion access or so-called ‘women’s rights’ but it’s about installing an extreme late-term abortion totalitarian regime,” Ms Johnson said.
“Like in Queensland last year, we have witnessed a divorce from truth, science and common decency in the NSW Parliament.
“Also very concerning in this debate is that the majority of MPs on the ‘conservative’ side of politics have supported extreme Greens abortion ideology. “This is an Australian first as in every other state and territory similar extreme abortion laws have been the work of a Labor government with a Labor Bill.
“Such gross injustice for the unborn and betrayal by the so-called conservative side of politics has put a steely resolve in many in NSW.”
She said this law should not stand.
“While the abortion lobby and its vested interests will be applauding this drastic move, the general public would be shocked if it realised what has been endorsed by a select few,” she said.
“We will be making sure everyone comes to know what those in the abortion movement have imposed upon our country over the last decade or so.
“We will now start a widespread education and advertising campaign to expose this dark industry and its insidious ties.”
Right to Life Australia posted on Facebook that it was a sad day for NSW.
“This bill was not passed in our name,” the statement read.
“Right to Life NSW will continue to fight against the scourge of abortion in this state – our protest on this bill has only just begun.”
