You could have banked on it. John Howard is taking his usual spineless approach to a difficult issue, this time abortion. Prevaricate by saying the government is not planning to change anything, then leave the door open for (or encourage?) someone else to take the lead and introduce a private member's bill into parliament.
And it looks like someone, not identified yet, is going to do just that. But what is he hoping to achieve? The only national action the Federal Government can take is to limit medicare rebates for abortions. They can outlaw the procedure entirely in the ACT and the Northern Territory, but they have no jurisdiction to make those changes for the rest of the country.
Medicare changes will hit financially disadvantaged women by making them pay the full fee for the procedure. Banning abortion in the territories will turn the clock back 20 years, when it was common for women to travel interstate to have the procedure. Wealthier women, the Liberal Party's natural constituency, won't be adversely effected by either measure.
There's been no talk from the god botherers about welfare changes to financially support disadvantaged women who are forced to go through with the pregnancy. For that matter, they don't seem to be that keen on doing anything that may prevent women from becoming pregnant in the first place, such as providing sex and contraception education. What these arch conservatives really want is a total ban on abortion, and no sex education apart from teaching to 'just say "no".'
The coming parliamentary debate is about changing arrangements that the majority of the population is happy with. Abortion law is and should be about letting women make a difficult choice based on their own beliefs and situations. It's not for a bunch of middle aged males to dictate what women do with their lives and bodies.
Ideally, Howard should kill this issue stone dead by not allowing the changes to be brought forward.
As this is unlikely to happen, bring forward the conscience vote, and hope that the majority of parliamentarians have the common sense to leave well alone.
I've already stated my views that pro-choice is the only way to deal with the unfortunate situation of an unwanted pregnancy.
It makes me so angry to have to see this issue being openly "debated" by one side of the community in an effort for a very select some to push their own agenda. Australia will go back 30+years if the zealots aren't stood up to and told to go and take a running jump.
You hope you can educate your offspring to use safe practises when the time comes, and exactly what the consequences can be if they choose otherwise. Let's face it, it's not like you are going to stop them having sex - God forbid they miss out on that important part of their personal development(don't excuse the pun) - because it is a natural and learning experience everyone goes thru when the time is right. But if they do get it wrong, you want them to know that there are choices that can be made and whilst they aren't pleasant they do exist.
I'd rather have my kids have that choice than not, in just the same way I did when I was growing up - regardless of whether it was ever needed.
The real people to suffer will likely be the parents and their children who voted to keep interest rates low and in doing so decreased their own standard of living by shifting the balance of power in the Senate.