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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 5 Hansard (26 August) . . Page.. 1362 ..

MR MOORE (continuing):

The advice I have been given is that about 2,000 women a year seek and have abortions in the ACT and that if this legislation goes through that number is likely to reduce to some 10 to 15 women a year. In other words, the legislation, as it is worded now, will basically ban abortion. It will stop abortion in the ACT, except in the most rare circumstances. It is an issue that requires our careful deliberation. People dealing in this area, people who have an interest, should be able to say, "Is this legislation reasonable legislation or should it be modified?". Is the problem with the legislation just the way we deal with grave psychiatric risk and the way that is worded? Is it possible that although perhaps members will not change their mind or their general thrust they may modify their view just enough to recognise that instead of the term "grave psychiatric risk" that appears in the legislation it may be that the appropriate term is "psychological risk", because that covers emotion? What does "grave psychiatric risk" mean? These are issues that all need appropriate time, apart from the community debate that people are entitled to have, because there is a higher order principle other than abortion here and that is the principle that people are entitled to express their view in this Assembly. This Assembly, since 1989, has been very open about the full range of issues that we debate, even when they are very difficult issues and that is something - - -

MR SPEAKER: Mr Moore, I am sorry but under standing order 69 the time for debate has expired.

MR MOORE: In concluding, Mr Speaker, it is appropriate for us to set a date well into the future for this debate.

Question put:

That the motion (Mr Berry's) be agreed to.

The Assembly voted -

AYES, 7		 NOES, 8

Mr Berry	Ms Carnell
Mr Corbell	Mr Cornwell
Mr Hargreaves	Mr Hird
Mr Moore	Mr Humphries
Mr Quinlan	Mr Osborne
Mr Stanhope	Mr Rugendyke
Mr Wood		Mr Smyth
		Mr Stefaniak

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