Victorian safe access zones under threat by controversial Morrison Government bill
Victorian women could face being confronted by protesters at abortion clinics again if a controversial bill becomes law this year.
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Ugly scenes could again erupt outside Victorian health and fertility clinics if a controversial Morrison Government Bill becomes law.
The Herald Sun can reveal the Andrews Government is concerned the Religious Discrimination Bill would overturn the 150m exclusion zone around the clinics and allow anti-abortion protesters to once again to confront Victorian women.
There is widespread concern the bill would not just protect someone from being discriminated against, but would allow a person to actively discriminate on the basis of their religious beliefs.
Attorney-General Jill Hennessy said: “Any laws which threaten our safe access zone laws threaten the ability of Victorian women to access basic healthcare free of harassment and abuse.”
Ms Hennessy said gender equality and protecting the rights of women was non-negotiable.
“We will always advocate to strengthen the rights of women and will not support any changes which could weaken protections against discrimination and harassment.”
She added: ‘’We must ensure that every Victorian is protected from discrimination and that no one’s rights trump another person’s ability to live freely.”
Ms Hennessy has already spoken out about the Andrews Government’s opposition to the bill – in particular to the threat to its plan to ban gay conversion therapy – but her comments around abortion are her strongest yet.
Submissions to the second version of the bill closed last month.
Peter Stevens, Family Voice Australia Victoria State Director, said he believed the “peaceful” actions of protesters was being suppressed.
“The public has been offered a biased version of the manner in which the peaceful protests used to be carried out – words like ‘gauntlet of abuse,’ ‘targeting people,’ ‘publicly attacked’ are misleading,” he said.
Family Voice viewed abortion as “murder” and he claimed “lovely” protesters were the ones suffering abuse.
“In my experience it is these lovely people, peacefully praying, that cop the abuse. I have seen them spat upon, verbally abused and having coffee thrown on them.”
He said many groups had the right to make their views known – such as Extinction Rebellion – “[so] why shouldn’t those who support life be free to do the same?”
Gender Equity CEO CEO Tanja Kovac said the bill put women at risk.
“ Lawful terminations and the ability to access them without harassment were hard won reforms and Victorian women do not want to see our laws being eroded by an unnecessary Federal Bill,” she said.
“Instead of finding new ways to limit women’s access to termination, the Federal Government should be working with women’s organisations to guarantee secure, safe, virus-free access to sexual and reproductive health services, not playing politics.”