Abortion Bill divides our MPs

By Tania Martin and Melissa Meehan
YARRA Valley MPs have been divided over the contentious abortion Bill.
Labor’s Tammy Lobato and her Liberal counterpart Christine Fyffe voted against the Bill in Parliament earlier this month, while Labor’s Ben Hardman voted in favour.
This comes as the State Government attempted to pass legislation to legalise abortion.
The Bill outlined conditions that would allow women to have abortions till 24 weeks.
The legal basis for abortion still remains contentious as it is still illegal under the Crimes Act.
The Bill was passed through the Lower House this month without any amendments with a 47 to 35 vote.
Debating the issue in Parliament last week, Gembrook MP Tammy Lobato told Parliament she was opposed to the legislation not because she was an anti-abortionist but because of the Bill itself.
Despite voting against the Bill, Ms Lobato actually supports the decriminalisation of abortion.
But she couldn’t support the introduction of 24-week abortions.
Ms Lobato said less than one per cent of abortions took place at 20 weeks and questioned the need for the introduction of the 24-week limit.
“Establishing 24 weeks as a cut-off is allowing an abortion to occur at a time when a foetus is capable of surviving as a baby,” she told Parliament.
Liberal Evelyn MP Christine Fyffe despite believing in choice voted against the Bill.
Although she did acknowledge that even if the Bill was defeated, it would not stop abortions from happening.
Ms Fyffe told Parliament she couldn’t support the new legislation in its current form.
“I want abortions to be done in the safest possible environment – with care and compassion, support and understanding,” she told Parliament.
“I want every woman to be able to access counselling if she wishes at any stage of pregnancy.”
Seymour MP Ben Hardman spoke to the Mail on Sunday describing his decision as the “hardest” he has ever made.
“In the end the decision I made was based upon the fact that in Victoria, at the moment, we have a situation where there are abortions happening and the Bill basically reflected what was current practice.”
He said that while he didn’t support abortion, his decision came down to what was the right thing to do.