If you don't want to have kids, then don't have unprotected sex. If you CHOOSE to do so, get pregnant, and then can't get access to abortion, don't complain that someone stole your choice.

I welcome the common law ruling because, as DFXK says, its reflects the views of the majority of the people of Australia.

The major elements of the human fetus develops in the first 4-6 weeks of pregnancy, and from there everything just develops in terms of size and strength. By the time most women realise they're pregnant, the fetus can have its own blood supply, its own sex, and (as from the beginning of conception), it will continue to have its own DNA.

Therefore the idea that a woman can only legally have the CHOICE to terminate her pregnancy under extreme circumstances (threat to physiological/psychological health of mother/fetus) is just, and the procedure should not be decriminalised to expand its usage and usher in even more "convenience" abortions.

Who cares what Tasmania, WA and the rest are doing?

That being said, I welcome moves by the government/community groups to support women who find themselves with unwanted pregnancies, whether by their own choice, or, much more rarely, not.

I can't see the point of a government trying to stop women from having abortions or even using RU486.

You are for life or you are not for life. Simple.

Naturally you get the pro-abortionists explaining that it's the woman's choice. The reason they post is to justify their past. I suggest to them they get councelling.

They tell you that it is not life until week blah blah blah.

I for one am ready. The usual suspects please bore me.Yabby where are you? Earth to maracas.

Maracas, it is unwise to think of things in terms of "absolute rights", as no such things exist. All rights are qualified agaisnt responsabilties, duties and the rights of others. Primarily, all rights are qualified against the continual existance of the state. There is no such thing as an "absolute right": not in life - one can be killed if endangering someone's life, not in speech - if seditious, treasonable, libellious or indecent, nor in abortion.

I have a question... if doctors in France can keep a 13 week-old unborn baby alive after a ceasarian section and have it show no medical problems dissimilar from those usually experienced by all children... why should a mother be able to terminate that life at 20 weeks, or, in Victorian, whenever she wishes (as late term abortions are all too common in the Deep South of Australia)?

The reason for the Menhennitt decision, if memory serves me correct, is that a fetus is not a "legal person"... although a corporation is... and thus can have its rights removed in a circumstance like ill-health, trauma, or other hardships. I think we should respect the deliberative process of the common law... we owe to it a system which functions far better than any "bill of rights" could, as it represents hundreds of years of compromise and balance.

NOTE: Tony Abbott proposed payments during pregnancy, I proposed a Child Endowerment - a monograph on its viability is avaliable from the Menzies Reasearch Centre. http://www.mrcltd.org.au/content.cfm?PageID=PubsMonographs . See "Family Income Versus Parenting Time".

Also, adoption should be supported, and pregnancy payments would allow women to make that choice. It must also be verbally asserted as favoured over an abortion. Adoptions have dropped over twenty-fold over the last twenty years.

I agree with DLC's comment, and Tracy's qualifications re: "unwanted pregnancies". It is a sad thing that many feminists call them "unwanted", when often they are wanted, but one feels "unable" rather than "unwanting".

Friedrich, sorry to dissapoint you, but in my case counselling on abortion would not help sorry. I've never had an abortion so your theory is wrong. As a male, I somehow doubt that I ever will :)

What we have here is once again the true believers preaching the dogma of Rome, which was most likely brainwashed into them as little Catholics. My my, even condoms are evil under that dogma.

I respect the rights and lives of people, not dividing cells. With so much poverty, hunger and misery on this planet, why don't we just focus on living, feeling, suffering beings, of whatever species, before getting carried away by religious dogma which sees potential life in every condom.

Yabby,

As part of a decision making process in the past you may need counselling. You are twisting my words, but that's ok.

Yabby you don't like the Catholic faith. Do you go to lodge meetings?