Right to Life Australia Chief Executive Officer, Mary Collier, will testify today (8-6-23) before the Senate Inquiry on the Human Rights (Children Born Alive Protection) Bill 2022. Ms Collier acknowledges women who have had abortions and who may be suffering -organisations like Abortion Grief Australia are there to help. Ms Collier states, “An unborn baby has an inalienable right to life. The words ‘babies born alive after abortion’ make one recoil with disbelief. It is difficult to accept that any baby is just left to die.”
She emphasises the distress experienced by midwives who recognise these babies as human beings and questioned why even one baby born alive after an abortion would perish in isolation or be kept alive solely based on the desire of the parents. Ms Collier highlights the reality of babies born alive after abortion, citing the latest Victorian Mothers and Babies Report 2020. She said, “Late-term abortions are not restricted to babies deemed ”imperfect’ as many would have us believe. We know already that babies with Down Syndrome, club hand, cleft palate, and other conditions are subject to late-term abortions. What is unknown is that late abortions are being performed for a whole range of psycho-social reasons.
Regarding the need for legislation to protect these babies, Ms Collier emphasises “To survive the intended destruction of their tiny bodies is a miracle. These babies are SUPER babies. There were 724 babies born alive after abortions in Victoria and Queensland between 2010 and 2020. There is clear discrimination at the moment. There must be legislation to protect them.” In conclusion, Ms Collier calls every Australian to seek justice for these babies, stating, “Every case of a baby born alive after an abortion must be referred to the Coroner for investigation. These babies deserve the same care and attention as any other baby born alive at that gestation.” Right to Life Australia remains dedicated to protecting the rights of the unborn and will continue to advocate for legislation that upholds the sanctity of life.
