THOUSANDS of people joined the March for Life through Brisbane’s CBD last weekend to protest the Queensland Government’s move to legalise abortion.
Organisers estimate 4000 marched down George Street, many dressed in white, chanting “life, life, life” and “Pro-life, pro-woman”.
“God’s law doesn’t endorse taking away life. This is like murder,” Kevin Turne, who had travelled from Dalby on the Western Downs to join the rally, said.
The March for Life on September 1 was protesting the proposed Termination of Pregnancy Bill 2018, introduced into Queensland Parliament last month by Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath and expected to be debated in October after examination by a parliamentary committee.
At Speaker’s Corner outside Parliament House, politicians and doctors spoke out against the abortion bill to a huge, placard-waving crowd.
“Every life must be heard and must be valued,” Queensland Liberal senator Amanda Stoker said.
“The Premier (Annastacia Palaszczuk), (Deputy Premier) Jackie Trad, Yvette D’Ath will tell you that this legislation is just about taking abortion away from the criminal law and make it a health issue.
“But there could not be a more dishonest smokescreen for late-term abortion and the most radical death-based abortion laws available in this country.
“It provides for abortion on demand right up to twenty-two weeks … no explanation is required.
“After twenty-two weeks all that’s needed is the signoff of two doctors, one of whom doesn’t even have to see the mother.”
Nationals senator Matt Canavan told the crowd: “These laws would be some of the most extreme and radical in the world.”
The rally was told the laws were dehumanising and would allow gender selection.
Toowoomba’s Dr David Van Gend said it would be “open season” on unborn babies.
“Has there ever been a more barbarous and frankly evil proposition to enter this parliament,” he said.
He said doctors would despise and ignore such a law.
Dr Van Gend also attacked the Labor Party for concerning themselves with asylum seekers but not the unborn.
“This is a dark, dark time … They are not concerned with these little asylum seekers, these little refugees at the border of life,’’ he said.
“Right now we plead with the LNP to stand again on the side of life and love against Labor’s rhetoric and death and plead with those very few remaining faithful Labor parliamentarians because on their shoulders hangs this entire outcome.”
Labor says it will allow its MPs a conscience vote, while the LNP is yet to decide whether its MPs will get a free vote.
Questioned about the March for Life, Deputy Premier Jackie Trad said the protesters had the right to march, but she wanted to ensure women had the right to choose what happened to their own bodies.
“I think it’s very clearly the majority view of Queenslanders that women’s access to reproductive health including termination shouldn’t be treated as a criminal matter,” Ms Trad said.
Cherish Life previously organised a March for Life rally on March 18.
Full coverage of the March for Life will appear in the September 9 edition of The Catholic Leader
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