A medical professional holds a card in support of the new law. (Australian Broadcasting Corporation Photo)
A new law to ban protest activity outside abortion clinics was passed last night in the new state parliament, according to SBS and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. This means that it is illegal to intimidate, harass or photograph persons within 150 meters of a hospital or clinic providing termination of pregnancy surgery, and will face punishment and imprisonment. Among them, the first offence can be sentenced to 6 months imprisonment, another crime can be sentenced to 12 months imprisonment.
After hours of heated debate, the ordinary member`s bill, (Private Members Bill), passed the new state House of Representatives by a landslide of 61 to 18 before midnight. Governor Bergilyn (Gladys Berejiklian) and Deputy Governor Barilaro (John Barilaro) both joined the support camp.
One of the sponsors of the bill, Senate Labour MP Sharp (Penny Sharpe), said "this is a beautiful day for women in the new state." She was disappointed that the current director of women`s affairs, Davis (Tanya Davies), and the former director of women`s affairs, Gordon (Pru Goward), had voted against it.
Davis, who describes himself as "anti-abortion", defends street loyalists close to women seeking abortion.
"they don`t impose their views on these women, they provide support and information that are not necessarily available in abortion clinics. They only offer women another option, and the law criminalizes it. " She said.
Davis`s stance surprised her Unionparty peers, some of whom even questioned her suitability to serve as director of women`s affairs. "I can`t believe the Director of Women`s Affairs will vote against [protect] the safety of women."
The governor of the new state, Bergicklin (left), supported the new law, while the Director of Women`s Affairs, Davis (right), opposed it. (Australian Broadcasting Corporation Photo)
Earlier, Labour MP Acheson (Jenny Aitchison) made a strong appeal to his parliamentary peers to protect women from the protest`s abominable practices. "We need to be clear about what this is, the violence, harassment and intimidation against women."
Williams (Ray Williams), the director of new state multiculturalism and disability services, said he might never support the bill, which would put people in jail for talking, praying, and advising.
Liberal congressman Hans Ken (Alister Henskens) worries that the new law may be counterproductive. "the law will not reduce the number of protest around abortion clinics, nor will it allay concerns, but it will not provide a new hotbed for private protest."
