After reading this article I am reminded of the United States in the early seventies. That was a time when the abortion debate raged. One of the voices heard the loudest was the Christian voice from the south claiming that Blacks would have a population explosion and outnumber Whites. That Blacks because of their economic status would not have equal access to abortion as would White woman. While I cannot deny that there is a racist argument by people who are afraid of dark skinned people and what they are percieved to represent. There is an overall picture needing to be addressed and questions answered. Why are taxes so high, why is housing priced out of the range of most workers, and why can't we manage our planetary resources efficiently.
Governments simply do not do the job that they were designed to do. Governments are themselves inefficient pools of human corruption. The abortion debate need not be a debate at all if humans themselves were responsible, and woman were given the one fundamental right that Governments are determined to rob us of, the right of ownership of our own bodies and souls.

I am no apologist for the Liberal Government. Nevertheless it is important to recognise that the government has not given Mrs Vale any support. I don't think Peter Costello is connected at all with Mrs Vale's comments.

Mrs Jackie Kelly (Lib): "I think Danna's on her own on that one"

According to the SMH: "Mr Howard issued a thinly-veiled warning to Mrs Vale at Tuesday morning's meeting of government MPs, asking members "to use measured statements" in the RU486 debate.

Soon after Mrs Vale did apologise, saying: "Muslim Australians place a high value on their children and, like many other faith communities, see that the core issue is the right to life of the unborn child; and, indeed, that sexual conduct carries with it a responsibility. I also note that the Muslim community of Australia continues to oppose abortion. I strongly share this belief."

Then: "I use this opportunity to call for Australia to return to the core values of our forebears, who, unafraid of the hard road and the harsher life, made this country, this Australia, the great nation that it has become. Then, together with all of the various faith communities in our land, we can face our future in understanding and mutual respect. I do hope that this clarifies in some way what I was trying to say in a very clumsy way in a live interview the other day, for I deeply regret any offence that might have been taken by members of the Australian Muslim community."

http://www.aph.gov.au/hansard/reps/dailys/dr150206.pdf (pages 29-30)

It is likely this article was written before the apology was given.

I completely agree with the objective of the article, namely to spell out that we are all Australians subject to equal respect, that racism is unacceptable and that Mrs Vale's comments during that interview were unacceptable.

All very well, but has Howard actually come out and publicly and unequivocally condemned Vale's comments? I think not.

More likely he has done the minimum, and kept up his record of "dog whistling" to the racist elements of Australia. A bit like "never condemn people for being proud of the Australian flag", even if they are wearing it whilst kicking in the head of another human being.

It is very sad to see that educated politician like Dana Vale will try to use the tictic of creating public sentiment used by poorly educated group like Al-qaeda. Lucky that she apologised. But that already left a scar. Families have the right to decide the way they want to live and professionals are the right group to help them. Why woman wants to abort, is a very complicated debate. If government want to increase birth rate, then go easy on people. This is Australia, not United States. Australian lifestyle should be based on Austrlian values. Don't just rise tax as a solution for everything. Let family be able to live on single income. Otherwise, it becomes far to difficult for families to raise a children, irrespective to their religion. Of course, this is just part of the whole picture and I am not an expert on everything and not prepared comment further.

Taya offers an argumentative opinion not very well researched of factual.

Dana Vale has a very point on at least two fronts:

1. Why is the abortion rate so high in an afluent society like australia (2 out of 5 births) voluntarely terminated? is it mere inconvenience, selfishness, greed,...?

I think morally speaking our right to kill a future person should be dramatically reduced to say 1 in 100 - reserved for very special cases like health or "some "rape victims (not all).

We have many ways of contraception - don't they all work?

2. Muslim women have a different religious and social outlook on procreation than most Australians.

Many are on welfare - so health care cost is drastically reduced. Most don't drive and live close to all amenities.

Families and extended families usually live close by or even together. Ideal for child minding and general support.

So having half a dozen kids is not much of a problem and a definite plus for beefing up the muslim population to critical mass...

Here’s another one misusing “racism” to attack a silly woman who made a silly comment. Danna Vale even found it necessary to say in parliament that she wasn’t racist nor had she ever been racist.

By all means, criticise Vale for putting her foot in her mouth, but at least have the common sense to know that she was making derogatory comments about a RELIGION, not a RACE.

And, Ms. Fabajanic, staring at women wearing hijabs or the full Islamic gear does not constitute racism either.

Also, the Liberal Party has, in fact, distanced itself from Vale’s uncalled for, incorrect and ignorant comments.

Anyone who needs to jump on the race/Muslim bandwagon for the remarks of one public figure has very little to think about, and needs to bone up on the English language and terminolgoy.