QUEENSLAND pro-life doctor David van Gend said a looming parliamentary vote to legalise abortion represented a crisis moment for society.
State MPs will start debating two abortion Bills soon after parliament resumes on February 14, before taking a vote.
“Every generation has it’s life-and-death issue,” Dr van Gend, the Toowoomba-based president of the Australian Marriage Forum, said.
“In past generations it was dehumanising slaves, or dehumanising women or dehumanising Aborigines, or Jews. A real crisis moment is upon us. It’s that simple.”
Dr van Gend, the keynote speaker at this weekend’s March for Life in Brisbane, has urged every concerned Queenslander to take a stand for the rights of the unborn.
“It is urgent that concerned people take a friend and visit their MP to tell them how much this matters to them,” he said.
“Failing that, a hand-written letter (should be sent).
“All of us can play our part by simply telling our MP how much it matters to us that defenceless babies continue to be protected.”
Dr van Gend said because of political events across the world, all political parties had become more aware that there were quiet people in their electorate who nevertheless have clear, strong views on important issues.
“Right now politicians are listening hard for those quiet voices and we’ve got to take this chance to be heard,” he said.
The two private member’s Bills, proposed by Member for Cairns Rob Pyne, would allow abortion up until the day of birth.
The first Bill aims to remove abortion from the Criminal Code and the second sets guidelines, such as the establishment of 50m “safe zones” and gestation limits.
“Even beyond 24 weeks right up until birth a baby’s life can be ended if the doctor thinks it is a good idea,” Dr van Gend said.
“A baby is a baby as much before birth as after birth, yet nowhere in this Bill or in Mr Pyne’s speech does he even acknowledge the existence of a living baby in the womb.
“He wants an open season on babies right up to birth, like they have in Victoria – where unborn babies older than the premmies in our hospital wards are free to be killed for any or no reason.
“Human rights lawyer, Fr Frank Brennan called this Victorian legislation ‘totalitarian’, not only for allowing cruel late-term abortions ‘on demand’ but for prosecuting any doctor or nurse who conscientiously objects.
“Here in Queensland, a real crisis moment is upon us … it is that simple.”
Dr van Gend put out a plea to politicians to listen to their conscience before the abortion bills vote.
“It is very encouraging that the LNP has voted as a block on any procedural matters to do with these Pyne bills,” he said.
“We hope the coalition will stand firm, stand with the defenceless baby, in rejecting the bills and the good people of Labor, Katter and One Nation parties, and independent Billy Gordon will have the courage to stand with the baby too.”
