Abbott Spruiks a Load of Tosh

Recent comments by the Health Minister, Tony Abbott, indicate a note of desperation regarding the upcoming vote on whether he retains his veto over the use of the abortion drug RU486.

IN 1996, the federal parliament decided that decisions about abortion drugs were too important to be made by unelected, unaccountable officials.

I seem to recollect that this decision was the result of a bargain with independent senator Brian Harradine to get his vote for the full sale of Telstra. It was hardly a decision made on any great principal of accountability.

Abbott tries to rewrite history.

It's lately been alleged that the parliament's 1996 abortion drug decision was horse-trading for senator Brian Harradine's vote on the Telstra sale at the time. This is an absurd proposition, as a moment's reflection shows. The ALP, Greens and Democrats would have needed to be part of any such conspiracy because the Senate as well as the House of Representatives approved the changes on the voices and without a formal vote.

Seeing Harradine held the balance of power, the vote would have carried regardless of the combined votes of the Labor Party and others. It's a moot point.

Then there's this gem ...

HEALTH Minister Tony Abbott says that giving women access to the abortion drug RU486 could lead to a spate of "backyard miscarriages" and an internet-based black market in "medical abortion".

Bollocks!

He's suggesting that legalising authorising RU486, ie, making it available, would create a black market for the drug. This is nonsense. If anything, the 'black market' should be happening now under the restrictive regime. Abbott's statement would only be true if surgical abortion were illegal as well, arguably a situation the he and other religious conservatives would like to see. A return to the 1950s & 60s when 'back yard' abortions were common.