Law Changes Not Just Technical

The Chief Minister today hid behind the excuse that the changes to the Northern Territory abortion laws are a mere technicality to prevent giving Labor Members of Parliament a conscience vote, said Dr Richard Lim, Member for Greatorex.

Dr Lim who practised in the field of obstetrics and gynaecology as a general practitioner, and who revealed in Parliament today that he had previously performed abortions, said that the Chief Minister is wrong in her contention that it is all a technicality.

"The Medical Services Bill removed the requirement of a specialist obstetrician/gynaecologist to perform abortions of pregnancies between 14 and 23 weeks and took it away from the Criminal Code Act,” says Dr Lim.

"I respect that each woman has the right to chose for herself, but I also want to ensure that in making that choice, a pregnant woman can expect the abortion to be done at the lowest risk to her safety.

"In the first instance, any abortion carried out on a woman between 14 and 23 weeks is fraught with many dangers, dangers that are not within the training of any non-specialist obstetrician/gynaecologist.

"The story of Dr Sood in New South Wales is a classical example of a person without the training of a specialist obstetrician/gynaecologist working beyond her expertise.

"I also sought to ensure that the government retained the legislation on abortion in the Criminal Code Act, to be consistent with the rest of the country.

"All major jurisdictions around Australia, bar the ACT, have their abortion laws in the Criminal Code.

"These measures will allow pregnant women who want to make the choice for abortion to do so safely.

"If the Clare Martin believes that the changes her government is bringing in are just technical, then she has been misled by her advisers.” Dr Lim said.

2006-10-11