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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 9 Hansard (2 September) . . Page.. 2780 ..

MR BERRY (continuing):

Mrs Carnell says, "Well, they are only pictures". They are only pictures, but they are pictures shown to some women at what may be described as a crucial time in their lives, and that is why the expert panel of specialists said that this could be counterproductive and inappropriate.

Mrs Carnell said at the early stage of the public debate on this matter that she would not support emotional claptrap. Well, here she is, supporting the worst type of emotional claptrap that has been brought to this place. If these regulations made under the Health Regulation (Maternal Health Information) Act are not disallowed today, there is a fair argument for a lot of women out there to ask what self-government has done for them.

Mr Speaker, one of these pictures at least, as far as I can make out, comes from a book called A Child is Born. It looks like a mirror reversal of an image in this book. At first, pictures from this book were proposed in colour format by Mr Humphries. Mrs Carnell described them as emotional claptrap. One of them at least remains. This publication, A Child is Born, is by Lennart Nilsson, and I will read from it. It is a quality publication which I would recommend as reading for anybody. In my view it is a quality publication which tells us about life - where it starts and how it all happens - in graphic detail, but it is well presented. Mr Speaker, if this mob opposite were serious about providing information out of this book, they might have provided all of it. If they had provided all of it, they would have come to this passage:

For most women, it is a heady feeling to know that a baby is on the way. For others, questions are raised: Can I, and should I, stay pregnant? Around the world, somewhat over one-quarter of pregnant women answer these questions in the negative and opt for abortion instead. The earlier an abortion is carried out, the less complicated the procedure. Within the first three months, an abortion is technically very simple, and usually the woman can leave the clinic or hospital after a few hours. In certain countries, drugs are becoming available which, taken in the early weeks, lower levels of progesterone and bring on an abortion similar to a heavy menstrual period. Whatever the regulations surrounding abortion in any particular country, or procedure, the decision to terminate pregnancy is difficult for a woman, and very often also for the man concerned.

So, Mr Speaker, here we are being very selective. Not only are we emotionally bludgeoning women into a decision or away from a decision, we also are being very selective in the information that we provide. How ethical is that, Chief Minister? How ethical is it to be so selective as to use this as an emotional lever on women who might be considering the termination of a pregnancy? Mr Speaker, this is a disgraceful episode in the life of this Assembly.

I need also to point to Mr Humphries' actions in this, the self-righteous Mr Humphries. We heard him speak in the debate when this matter was last before the house. Here is what the mild mannered Mr Humphries said:

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