A LEADING pro-life campaigner believes there is a strong backlash against Queensland’s abortion law that came into force eight months ago.
Emily’s Voice chief executive officer Paul O’Rourke said public sentiment was running deep against abortion and had prompted his pro-life organisation to start a national advertising campaign of billboards and buses.
After the Termination of Pregnancy Bill became law last December, Mr O’Rourke (pictured) said Emily’s Voice was inundated with support. The organisation’s website was swamped by 60,000 visitors.
“People were outraged, disgusted, appalled. They said what can we do to stop this?” he said.
After successful fundraising efforts and to promote its website notbornyet.com, Emily’s Voice has launched a pro-life billboard campaign “A heart beats at four weeks” in Cairns, Bundaberg and the Sunshine Coast, and along the Bruce Highway, as well as in Western Australia, Tasmania and New South Wales.
The ad could aptly be described as “Motherhood”.
It features an image of a woman’s hands forming a heart shape over a pregnant belly, with the words “A heart beats at four weeks”.
Mr O’Rourke said the campaign sought to “prevent pain and needless deaths” by discussing a sensitive issue “respectfully and factually”.
However, he was surprised and disappointed when authorities recently tried to stifle the campaign in NSW by banning the ad from two buses in Newcastle.
The bus company removed the ad after one complaint was posted on the Facebook page of State Transport Minister Andrew Constance.
Mr Constance replied to the message saying he was “appalled” the ad was allowed to appear.
“Our advertisement simply states the scientific fact that an unborn baby has a heartbeat from four weeks (about 22 days from conception),” Mr O’Rourke wrote, replying to Mr Constance.
“Neither the advertisement, nor the notbornyet website contain any images or information that, in any way, shames, condemns or is critical of women who may have had an abortion.
“We are fiercely pro-women and for-children.
“Emily’s Voice exists to restart and reshape the life conversation in a sensitive and sensible way so women are not coerced, tricked or rushed into choosing abortion.”
The NSW transport minister has since ordered an inquiry into the matter.
