THE NT LABOR GOVERNMENT HAS LEGALISED ABORTION UP TO FULL-TERM


Hello, thanks for stopping by. Perhaps you received this flyer in your letterbox, or a friend passed it onto you?
We provide back-up below.





BACK-UP INFORMATION

'MORE BABIES WOULD DIE UNDER ANOTHER LABOR GOVERNMENT'

"More babies would die under another Labor government" is a true statement, as the NT Territory Labor Government has no plans to change their abortion laws, which include abortion at any time up to birth and doesn't provide babies born alive in a failed abortion with medical care, thereby leaving them to die (ref: page 30, table 25 of the NT Government's Clinical Guidelines on abortion).

While the Country Liberal Party (CLP) has made a public promise to give medical care to babies born alive in abortions. On 29 July 2024 the Country Liberal Party's Opposition Leader, Lia Finocchiaro's Office responded to a question from our group about giving babies born alive in abortion medical care, stating:
"The Opposition has committed to supporting legislation that would give human rights to a baby born alive during a failed abortion and that the baby has the right to appropriate medical care as does any other person."


'IN 2021 THE NT LABOR GOVERNMENT LEGALISED
ABORTION FOR ANY REASON UP TO BIRTH'
+ 'A HEALTHY LATE-TERM BABY OF A HEALTHY MOTHER CAN BE ABORTED'

In 2021, during the time of a Covid crisis, the Territory Labor Government amended the NT's Termination of Pregnancy Law Reform Act 2017, with the following amendments according to the NT Health's Government website (ref: "termination of pregnancy summary of changes" PDF).

The fact there is no upper gestational limit for abortions past "after 24" weeks.
This means abortion is legal at any time up to birth.
So the law has even legalised abortion for late-term and full-term babies.

Furthermore, it becomes clear it is abortion up to birth for any reason when looking at the NT Health's Clinical guidelines on Termination of Pregnancy [Abortion].
Here is the relevant excerpt (ref page 10, table 2):

"A medical practitioner may perform a termination on a woman who is more than 24 weeks pregnant after consulting with another medical practitioner who has also assessed the woman and both medical practitioners consider the termination is appropriate in all the circumstances having regard to:

The reasons "current and future physical, psychological and social circumstances" cover every area of a person's life - so in practice it is abortion up to birth for any reason. The states of Victoria and Queensland have the exact same wording in their respective laws for late-term abortions, also up to birth, and both states recorded a large increase in late-term abortions since their respective law changes. Furthermore, in Victoria from the years 2001 to 2020 almost half of all late-term abortions were healthy babies to healthy mothers and even full-term healthy babies of healthy mothers have been aborted in Victoria (see Victorian data here).

Therefore, the statement on the flyer "A late-term healthy baby of a healthy mother can be aborted" under the NT Labor Government's abortion laws is absolutely true, tragically.


'BABIES BORN ALIVE DURING AN ABORTION
AREN'T GIVEN MEDICAL CARE AND LEFT TO DIE'

The Law does not make any provision for babies born alive in abortion, leaving them to die. The NT Labor Government's Clinical guidelines on abortion make it crystal clear that babies born alive in an abortion (a failed abortion) are left to left to die. Here is an excerpt from the NT clinical guidelines, page 30, table 25:

"If a live birth occurs:
.....
• Do not provide life sustaining treatment (e.g. gastric tubes, IV lines, oxygen therapy).
.....
• Document date and time end of life occurs."


Further proof that even late-term babies who may be viable who are born alive in abortion, are being left to die, is on page 29, in table 23 of the Clinical Guidelines here is a screenshot:




'WOMEN CONSIDERING ABORTION ARE NOT OFFERED FREE INDEPENDENT COUNSELLING'

There is nothing in the Northern Territory Labor Government's law or their clinical guidelines on abortion that stipulates every woman considering abortion is to be offered free independent counselling.
It's clear that Australian voters want women offered free counselling. 2023 polling in of voters in Victoria revealed that 81% think women considering abortion should be offered free counselling and similarly 2018 polling in Queensland revealed that 88% of voters want women offered independent counselling (see page 7, question 9).


POLLING: OVERWHELMING SUPPORT FOR BABIES BORN ALIVE IN ABORTION BEING GIVEN MEDICAL CARE

Polling from around Australia reveals Australians strongly support babies born alive in abortion being given medical care.
A national YouGov poll undertaken in July 2021 revealed that of Australian voters that have a view on the issue (around 26% reported they "don't know" what they think) 75.7% think that babies born alive in abortion should be given medical care, the poll can be found here.


Similarly in Victoria, 2023 polling revealed (page 2), that over 80% of Victorian voters have a view on the matter. Of those, 87% think babies born alive in abortion of a viable age and deemed compatible with life should be given medical care. There were similar results in Queensland, a 2018 poll revealed (see here, page 7, question 8).

For a recent media report on Australian babies born alive in failed abortions being left to die, click here.


POLLING: ONLY 5% OF AUSTRALIANS AGREE WITH FULL-TERM ABORTION

Different polls in Australia on abortion over the years have revealed that only 5 to 6% of Australian voters agree with abortion at any time right up to birth. While about 60% of Australian voters oppose abortion past 13 weeks gestation (3 months gestation). Most recent polling from Victoria can be found here (see page 3 for gestational limits results) Queensland polling on abortion can be found here (see page 6, question 6 for gestational limits results).


The Northern Territory abortion laws are extreme, and many would agree, brutal, they are also clearly out of step with voters views on abortion. We need to get these laws changed.



The Northern Territory Election is on
Saturday 24 August 2024...

So when you vote this election,
please PUT LABOR LAST.




GOT QUESTIONS?

Please email info@ntlaborlast.org.au

MEDIA ENQUIRIES

Please email media enquiries to media@ntlaborlast.org.au





-   Authorised by: D. Cameron, Pro-Life Victoria (Inc), 378 Nicholson St, Fitzroy North VIC 3068   -