Australia: Abortion pill Bill passes

[cal04]

LAWS stripping Health Minister Tony Abbott of his control over abortion pill RU486 have passed Parliament, clearing the way for the drug to be made available to Australian women.

In a rare conscience vote, MPs backed a Bill which overturns an effective ban on the drug.
Under the private members' Bill, Mr Abbott's power of approval over RU486 will be handed to the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).

The vote came after two and a half days of emotional debate in which dozens of MPs outlined their reasons for or against the contentious Bill.

The majority of MPs also voted against two amendments to the Bill, proposed by Liberal backbenchers Jackie Kelly and Andrew Laming, which would have given Parliament a say in the approval process.


http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,18166855%255E12377,00.html

[MadMaddie]

1. Once again.....America falls behind the world.....

in womens rights!!

[Erika]

3. Many religious wackos here are fighting hard to restrict women

from having the right to take this pill. Some stupid false pretense of "protecting women" from a dangerous drug.

[Texacrat]

6. Actually, America has been at the forefront in abortion rights globally

No thanks to the Republicans (actually the pro-life Republicans to be more specific), but somehow the actions of the Supreme Court, the states, and the Clinton Administration have all led to this country having great reproductive freedoms.

[MadMaddie]

9. Hey Texacrat...You are correct.

I guess I was trying to say that our current reproductive freedoms are under a constant attack by the pro-life repugs. With help from this administration and his supreme court picks they could very well undo all of the great work that the Clinton administration has done. Since * has been in office we haven't had any advancements.

[LynnTheDem]

STANDING OVATION to Aussies with conscience!

WELL DONE!

[rodeodance]

2. good for them

[LiviaOlivia]

4. Bravo/Brava Aussie Land

I fear you must be vigilant and protect this vote from religious fundies of all stripes. Totalitarians hate women.

[Matilda]

5. The fact that Tony Abbott ever had the power to restrict RU486

was an anomaly, due to a deal between John Howard and right-wing Catholic MP Brian Harradine
(since retired from Parliament) that the government would restrict the release of the drug in
return for Harradine's casting vote for the half-privatisation of Telstra. Normally the Minister
wouldn't have that power, so this vote has really just restored things to where they should have
been all along.

I bet Harradine's furious.

[Demeter]

7. Australia ends abortion drug 'ban'--BBC

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4718674.stm

The Australian parliament has taken away regulatory control of a controversial abortion drug from the country's conservative health minister. The move is set to end an effective nationwide ban on the drug, RU486. Current Health Minister Tony Abbott is a staunch Roman Catholic who has not allowed the use of the drug. Future requests from doctors to prescribe the drug will now be decided by a regulatory body, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). The TGA already regulates the use of other drugs and medical devices.

The House of Representatives approved the measure on Thursday. No vote was actually taken, because it was clear that the majority of MPs supported the change. Australia's Senate had already voted to take control of the drug away from the government. The BBC's Sydney correspondent, Phil Mercer, says MPs put party politics aside and were allowed a rare conscience vote. Their decision followed a passionate, and at times, heated debate. Supporters of RU486 argued that it was a cheaper and less invasive method of abortion than surgery.



I SUPPOSE REMOVING A RELIGIOUS FANATIC FROM A PUBLIC POSITION WOULD BE TOO RADICAL A STEP, EVEN FOR AUSTRALIA. WHERE DO WE GET A LEGILATURE WITH BALLS LIKE THEIRS, THOUGH?

[Zenlitened]

8. Progress in the world. It's an encouraging step.

Lawmakers imposing their religious beliefs on everyone within a secular society....

Hope that never happens here! </sad irony> :(

[cal04]

10. RU486 just the start, senators pledge

Women senators who co-sponsored the private member's bill on RU486 are now pledging to work together to bring further changes in areas relating to women. Yesterday Parliament approved the bill, which is expected to lead to the abortion drug being available within a year.

The new legislation will strip Health Minister Tony Abbott of his right to ban RU486 and give control of the drug to the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). The four senators from different parties say they will continue to work together and childcare has been nominated as area of concern.

Liberal Senator Judith Troeth also says another issue could be unbiased counselling for pregnant women.
"We need to ensure the provision of genuine objective counselling for those women with pregnancy problems in a way that does not make them feel impelled to make one choice over another," she said.

Senator Troeth says there are more issues in the reproductive health area."Any contraction of Medicare item numbers for the services that doctors perform in the nature of reproductive health would be something that we need to be very vigilant about," she said. Democrats leader Lyn Allison wants improvement to childcare and sex education.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200602/s1571936.htm

[sarcasmo]

11. That's where American Women will have to go for an Abortion.

WE could have this pill here, but the Christian American Taliban strikes another blow to this country.

[jpak]

12. Oz betta watch out

Pat Robertson will wish them into the cornfield for this...

:evilgrin: