It's too easy to get an abortion done. Despite all the conditions for a legal abortion these are usually undermined by the medical practitioner. Moral issues are usually not considered as the rights of the unborn are not crucial in the decision made to abort. Till the sanctity of life is considered there will continue to be a case for legalising abortion. In a materialistic society cost and need are foremost considerations over moral issues. Society needs to take responsibility for allowing behaviours that have long term consequences and cannot be devolved to the private conscience or medical practitioner. Without standards society will degrade to a state of anarchy.

I do not agree with Sukrit that abortion is a private matter and should be kept in family-clinician closets.

This is selfishness gone mad - this sinister decision taken by the individual simply to avoid the inconvenience of unwanted pregnancy is socially improper.

Abortion is a social issue that affects us all. We all pay for it economically, morally, and historically. Once a rule is set in motion it is very hard to reverse it.

Therefore it is up to the majority to decide. And according to the statistical figures supplied in the article it is obvious that 2 out of 3 are against abortion. (it all depends how the data is collected in the first place)

Legalising abortion will not make it go away without the correct moral eduction.

The Menhennitt ruling of 1969 seems to be the closest fit to the opinions of people in our nation. Why support decriminalised abortion when only 29.8% of the people consider that it should always be legal?

Ignoring the 8.8% who think it should never be allowed (not even the Catholic church takes that view, as Catholics are allowed their conscience to decide on abortion if a woman's life is in absolute peril) there are 61.4 of people who don't support the full decriminalisation of abortion, but rather its permission in certain circumstances. The Menhennitt ruling is such a framework, but it is one which is not followed. Effectively, we have abortion on demand. If a practitioner wishes to abide by the law, an individual can seek out a doctor who agrees with abortion on demand, and have it done.

Abbott has focused himself of providing support to women - his floating of an idea to start maternity payments during pregnancy was a good step - and it would be nice if he reinstated the Child Endowment that existed in our nation in the 50's and 60's to give pregnant women the knowledge that they will be supported til their child is no longer dependant. I have heard estimates that such a policy would not only raise our fertility rate to about 2, maybe up to the needed 2.1, but also would stop most middle class, convenience abortions, dropping the abortion rate by up to a third.

Abortion on demand is not supported by the Australian people. That the majority support its legalisation in certain circumstances is no justification for such an open slather. We need to enact some framework in which abortions occur - including cooling-off periods, opportunities for potential fathers to speak, fiscal support to expecting couples, and medicare subsidies counselling - to truly lower the amount of abortions.

I do not take too kindly to you saying that abortion is entirely supported by classical liberal ideals. There is a strong case against abortion under classical liberal philosophy. Yes, we believe that for most things the government should stay outside of people’s business, however murder is not one of those things. You really have to step outside the bounds of logic to proclaim a fetus is not ‘yet’ a human.

Jeshua,

I think 'easy' is a misnomer; abortion is rarely an 'easy' decision, or an 'easy' experience. If you mean there is considerable flexibility in a doctor's assessment of the risk to a woman's psychological and physical health in the continuation of an 'unwanted' pregnancy, I think you're right, and I think it's warranted, but a very complex and tricky situation.

Unfortunately What isn't considered too often are the myriad of reasons women seek abortion. Many women who decide to abort their pregnancy would object to the definition of their foetus as 'unwanted': these women would continue their pregnancies if adequate support was available, if they had more choice, rather than one 'choice'.

How do we better accommodate women seeking abortion for whom having a baby would cause considerable emotional, psychological, physical, financial or social hardship? These are the reasons most women seek abortion.

Coach,

I disagree with your comment that blames women for social impropriety. I feel it far more socially improper to focus on abortion as *the problem*, rather than *the symptom* of a number of complex problems. By demonising women who make that decision, rather than addressing the circumstances leading her to it, we condemn ourselves to a circular debate that only inflames tensions and creates more problems, rather than working to understand abortion.

I do agree that abortion affects us all: therefore it is up to all of us to understand the circumstances leading women to choose abortion, and work to create a society that reduces, rather than exacerbates, the need for abortion

Here we go again;
I absolutely support a womans right to choose.Besides, couples can no longer raise large families...the cost is prohibitive.
Tony Abbott's idea of supporting pregnant women and reintroducung an endowment scheme is a positive idea that should be progressed as a positive contribution to decreasing the incidence of abortion but Women must still have the choice to terminate a pregnancy without being demonised or having to justify their decision. They must also have the choice between surgical or medical abortion.
The Australian Medicare system must also be available for such procedures. After all,women seeking abortions and their partners also pay the Medicare levy.