Media Release
Thursday, 3 February 2005
“The re-invention of abortion as a contentious issue requiring debate with a view to policy changes has all the hallmarks of a return to the 60s,” said Dr Tim Woodruff, President, Doctors Reform Society. “Back then those women without money and contacts were subjected to the risks of backyard abortions, or forced onto reluctant and under-resourced public hospital queues, or simply forced to have babies they didn’t want and were forever stigmatised, just because they were not able to get money for a safe private abortion”.
“By all means, lets have better sexual education, prevent unplanned pregnancies, support those who choose not to have an abortion, but all of that can happen without any change to the availability of abortion,” said Dr Woodruff. “Indeed, that could have been happening much more for the last 30 years, but for the resistance of many conservatives to sexual education, and the availability of contraception.”
“Any attack on the principle that abortions should be available through Medicare is essentially an attack on those women who can least afford private abortions, which will continue no matter what changes are instituted.”
“Let’s debate unwanted and/or unplanned pregnancies, not the availability of abortion.”
Dr Tim Woodruff
President
Doctors Reform Society
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Dr Con Costa
Vice President
Doctors Reform Society
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For further information please contact the Doctors Reform Society during business hours
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