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Pro-lifers heartened by close vote

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Pro-life groups have had a mixed response to the defeat of a bill to amend the State’s abortion laws on October 16.

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The amendments, proposed by Liberal MLC Ben Hood would have required women seeking to terminate a pregnancy from 28 weeks to instead undergo an induced birth, with babies to then be adopted.

After more than three hours of debate and confusion over a pairing arrangement between two Members, the proposed amendment failed to pass to by one vote.

The day before the debate, an estimated 2000 supporters of the bill rallied at Parliament House.

Adelaide Archdiocese Vicar General Fr Dean Marin, who attended the rally, said the event was a “positive witness to the value and dignity of the life of the unborn and the passionate desire to save at least those babies that are viable”.

“The bill was defeated by just the one vote, but the momentum for life will continue in earnest,” he said.

“Whilst legislation will always remain a focus, the momentum now needs to be on changing hearts and minds.

“For us as Christians this means overcoming evil by doing good. This is the expressed purpose of the new focus in the Justice, Healing and Inclusion Office of the Archdiocese.

“We will promote, educate, and communicate the positive activities of ‘Love Australia’ and particularly the annual ‘Walk for Life’ and the wonderful work of Genesis and Birthline in supporting women and families faced with an unplanned pregnancy.”

Love Australia said while it was “bitterly disappointed” in the outcome, it was “heartened by the close margin”.

“We are only one vote away in the upper house,” the group said in a message to its supporters.

“There’s still a lot of work to do but we are getting closer to victory every day, your years of advocacy are making a difference.

“We know many of you are disappointed with the pairing arrangements…this is a common and accepted practice that allows the parliament to function well.

“The bill would have been defeated even if the pair had not been in place.

“Instead of focusing on this, we intend to concentrate on the 11 people who did not support the bill. We only need to change one mind and this bill will pass through the upper house and then we can concentrate on the lower house.

Love Australia urged people send a “civil and polite” email to MPs who voted against the Bill and to send a message of thanks to those who supported it.

Ashlyn Vice, SA Director of the Australian Christian Lobby (ACL), said Parliament had “kowtowed to the pro-death lobby” and had “failed to recognise the humanity of fully formed, healthy babies just weeks away from their due date”.

The ACL thanked Mr Hood for bringing the important motion to the Legislative Council and other Members who spoke in favour of the Bill: Nicola Centofanti, Sarah Game, Heidi Girolamo, Jing Lee, Laura Henderson, Clare Scriven and Frank Pangallo.

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