What could be more truthful than the inserts on page 3 of White Pages,Business and Government which state "Abortion Grief Counselling..Does not refer for abortions, "Pregnancy Counselling Australia ..Alternatives to abortion and post abortion counselling" "Pregnancy Help Line ...Pregnancy Options and Alternatives to abortion"? This was confirmed by nothing less than the Senate hearings into Senator Natasha Stott- Despoja's Transparent Advertising and Notification of Pregnancy Support Services Bill. Leslie Cannold's ideologically driven campaign to discredit any Pregnancy Support organization run by the prolife movement brings to mind what Joseph Goebbels (Adolf Hitler's chief propagandist) used say: "Repeat a lie often enough and it becomes the truth. Deny the truth often enough and it becomes a lie". As a woman I am dismayed at this disgraceful campaign run largely by women who spend their time at their PC's spewing out venom at those who by their care, concern and practical help do sometimes actually help a woman give life to her baby. That a baby should actually escape the abortionist's curette and go on to being a much loved child, now that would be an evil to be resisted at all cost would it not Leslie and Senator Natasha? To think that taxpayers money is being used to fund such vindictive behaviour by our elected representatives! Compare it to the entirely voluntary work done all these years by Australian women in the self funded pregnancy counselling and support services run by the prolife movement. Talk about "live and let live"! 100,000 abortions a year in Australia don't satisfy Leslie Cannold, Senator Stott- Despoja and her supporters in Parliament. Would it be such a tragedy if just a few babies escaped this lethal net because in talking to a prolife counsellor a mother decided she could go ahead and have her baby? I say all of this as a former midwife. Abortion is simply not "good enough" for any woman.
It is incomprehensible to me that Leslie Cannold thinks that out here women agree with her.

The only deception in the abortion debate is on the part of those who fail to reconise the crime that it is. It is amzing that those who oppose this cold blooded murder are painted the evil ones when it comes to abortion. This nation should be utterley ashamed of the killing of the most vulnerable. I would of thought it is bad enough to carry out abortions in secret but to disguise it as a women's rights issue is pathetic!

Good on ya Denny!

It is a dismaying thing, that females are on this great antagonistic bandwagon, out to get all they can from the government, and the appliances of democracy. Whilst it is true that "the noisiest wheel gets the moist oil", nothing is more of a distortion these days than 'Womens Rights'.

If one really listened to the rants of the femminist movement, one would think that most Australian women suffer the most appalling lives imaginable. Yet look around; where do we see all this misery, lack of 'rights' and the need to 'protect the femme'? (except for in the indegenous community- a long march from Urban Feminism). I for one dont see it. What I see is an Urban political movement so out of touch and control, that it is plouging ahead into some unknown crevass.

What we all see, is women taking control of everything, under a false pretext; and to establish anything under a falsehood/lie, will only produce more of the same.

Essentially, the womens movement has become a great lie; and contrary to this statement: 'It is incomprehensible to me that Leslie Cannold thinks that out here women agree with her.', a vast majority of females will in fact be found to be sympathetic to the cause.

To those opposed to the idea of the bill

Can you please explain your objection to the idea that counselling services be required to lay their cards on the table.

Denny mentions examples where some do lay their cards on the table - that does not take away from the central focus of the proposed bill. At best it may suggest that those services have nothing to fear from the bill.

For the record I've heard the arguments for and against abortion far more often than I wish to hear them, my question is not about the rights or wrongs of abortion, its about the rights or wrongs of deceptive advertising.

If you want to discuss the rights or wrongs of abortion then start a thread on the general pages area and leave this thread to discussion of the article.

R0bert

Why should truth (in advertising) be gender specific?

Dont we all have that 'right.'

PS. thruth in advertising is an oxymoron. No such thing. Advertising lies, it distorts, it misrepresents, it deludes. Just the sort of thing the average consumer not only prefers but, thru their consumption choices and habits, virtually demands.

Blame the shoppers. And the deluded for their delusions.

I agree with Leslie Cannold that the loopholes that allow services to engage in misleading advertising should be closed.

If the first impression of a service, i.e. the advertising, is already misleading how can people be certain of the integrity of the service itself? It causes distortion and imbalance in the market of services as well.

Deception is never justifyable, especially not where health is involved- not only physical, but psychological and emotional health as well (men and women).

I see no reason why truth in advertising should not be law.
What do we think of a country that doesn’t support truth in advertising?

as usual the right- to -lifers are distorting facts about abortion to warm us all up to their theme of baby murderering. This is what they say to women who have been deceived by their false advertising and inadvertently ring them for information about pregnancy options. Other notable lies are that abortion causes breast cancer, that you'll get a mental illness if you have a one and that you might not be able to have children when you want one. Yes this is just a range of 'non-biased' incormation you are likley to get if you call them. This on top of the lie that there are 1000,000 abortions in Australia a year. Why shouldn't women and men be told that organisations refusing to advertise as right-to-life will also refuse to tell you the truth about your options. Why shouldn't we be told that you do not need a 'referral' from them if your decision is to have an abortion. You can go direct to the service provider. Leslie Cannold is absolutely on the button when she says women and the men who support them deserve to know which organisations deal in facts and which in religous ideology so that we have a real choice of taxpayer funded information on which we make important decisions.

I also agree with Dr Leslie Cannold and Senator Natasha Scott Despoja and other women parliamentarians that federally funded telephone counselling services should say they are not allowed to mention abortion as an option for unwanted pregnancy.

As a tax payer I object to paying to support a propaganda service that is totally against my belief system.

I feel great sympathy for the women who need to rely on such a biased service that is sneakily reducing their choices and forcing them to keep children they don't want and can't afford.

How on Earth can anyone be against Truth in advertising with something as important as an unplanned pregnancy?

What a load of hateful rubbish has been written by some.

Wouldn't surprise me in the least if many of the anti-abortionist brigade are also the ones who squeal the loudest about social security for single mothers, neglected kids graffiting on their fences and young criminals and 'poor' parenting causing such a burden on tax payers money. And woe betide you if you cry for help, because then you just have a 'victim' mentality.

I want to know how many children are being fostered by those who go on and on most stridently about abortion being murder. If you truly believe that then put up your hand and say "no pregnancy needs to be terminated, I'll be right there with you if you indeed find that raising a child to adulthood is impossible for you." And don't forget some of that Christian love and keep the judgement part to your good Lord.

This article is about advertising for pregnancy counselling. Not abortion. Pregnant women have a right to know who is doing the counselling. It works both ways. Not every woman with an unplanned pregnancy immediately thinks Abortion.

I've put a request to start a new general thread in regarding what I perceive as a conflict of interest for our health minister based on recent comments by the pope regarding politicians and abortion.

Whilst our health minister may not have the direct power to outlaw abortion he does hold the power to have a significant impact on surrounding issues such as funding, support services etc.

The popes expressed comments would appear to make it virtually impossible for any practicing catholic to act impartially in regard to laws surrounding abortion.

R0bert