‘Victoria is a firmly pro-choice state’: Abortion protesters clash on the steps of parliament

An anti-abortion rally organised by former Liberal Party MP Bernie Finn has been met with fierce opposition from pro-choice supporters.

An anti-abortion rally planned by former Liberal MP Bernie Finn in Melbourne has been met with passionate resistance. Picture: David Crosling

Pro-choice and anti-abortion protesters have clashed on the steps of state parliament.

In a march organised by former Liberal Party MP Bernie Finn on Saturday afternoon, protesters rallied against abortion access and were met with fierce opposition. 

Liz Walsh of the Victorian Socialists Party said their goal was to prevent politicians from building a conservative state that denied healthcare to those in need.

“Bernie Finn wants to criminalise abortion even in cases of rape,” Ms Walsh said.

“We’re here to defend that Victoria is a firmly pro-choice state.

“We’ve seen in the US how quickly reproductive rights can be stripped away from us, so we won’t get complacent. We’ll keep fighting.”

Pro-choice and anti-abortion protesters clash in Melbourne. Picture: David Crosling

Police push back protesters. Picture: David Crosling

The Victorian Socialists are further campaigning for an expansion of abortion rights, seeking financial assistance for women undergoing the procedure.

“Abortions cost hundreds or even thousands, which makes them vastly inaccessible for poor women – and even just for women who don’t have the spare money,” Ms Walsh said. 

“We also want to remove religious exemptions from hospitals who can refuse to perform abortions, even in cases where the woman’s life is threatened.”

A protester marching against abortion, who did not wish to be named, said she was there with her whole family because she believed life was sacred – from the very beginning through to the end.

“What we’re doing is unnatural,” she said. 

“Even animals protect their young and we’re actively trying to destroy life.

“I know some women are subjected to atrocities that leave them pregnant, but two evils don’t make a right.”

She said making the adoption process more accessible was key to phasing out abortion. 

“There are so many people that would like to adopt but it’s so incredibly hard,” she said.

“It feels really backward that adoption is so hard and abortion is so easy – if those playing fields start to level out then that will be a really good starting point.”

Other protesters included members of the Whistleblowers, Activists and Citizens Alliance (WACA).

A protestor from WACA, who did not wish to be named, said the fight for reproductive justice is linked with a global struggle for gender justice.

“We stand in solidarity with those in Iran and all over the world fighting hard for bodily autonomy and liberation from this oppressive patriarchal system,” she said.

Feminist activist Leah Ward said the movement needed to move past simple slogans like “my body, my choice”, rather moving to view abortion as a fundamental right to bodily autonomy.

“This is a difficult concept in a society where we are viewed by those right-wing Christians as uteruses first and people second,” Ms Ward said.

“People don’t realise how close we came to the Religious Discrimination Bill passing, and what that would have meant not just for access to abortion but for all the social progress made over the last 50 years.

“We live in a country where the overwhelming percentage of the population supports abortion access.

“It’s time the federal government recognised that the right to reproductive healthcare should be codified and guaranteed under federal legislation.”