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As RU486 debate hots up ... new poll shows majority oppose 'social' abortion - 05 February 2006

With Federal Parliament set to debate the abortion pill RU486 this week, a new national opinion poll on abortion to be released today shows that 51% of Australians are opposed to abortion performed for financial or social reasons and 53% are against Medicare funding abortion in these circumstances.

A telephone survey of 1200 people conducted last year by independent research company Market Facts on behalf of the Australian Federation of Right to Life Associations also shows that 78% of Australians oppose Medicare funding of late-term abortions (past 20 weeks of pregnancy) and 67% are against Medicare funding after the first trimester (13 weeks).

Although Medicare currently funds abortions to 26 weeks, 20 weeks is the earliest point at which survival outside the womb is possible with present technology.
Seventy-nine percent of Australians believe abortion can harm the physical or mental health of a woman, 95% believe a woman should receive free independent counselling before having an abortion and 86% believe there should be a cooling-off period of several days between making an appointment and having an abortion.

Australian Federation of Right to Life Associations spokesperson Kath Woolf said the research showed what Australians really thought about abortion.

“With 15 specific, objectively-worded questions, this comprehensive poll avoids skimming the surface of the issue as past polls have done and drills down to find out what the Australian public really believes,” Mrs Woolf said.

She called on members of Federal Parliament to do all that they could “to protect the innocent unborn and their mothers from the tragedy of abortion,” adding that Medicare had paid for almost 2 million abortions since 1974.

“The last thing Australian women need is more choice on ways to have an abortion. Governments should be focussing instead on supporting women with unplanned or problem pregnancies to cope with financial and social pressures so they can avoid unwanted abortion and choose to have their children,” Mrs Woolf said.

A copy of the report is available at http://www.righttolife.asn.au/media_releases/20060205.pdf

ENDS

Contact:    Kath Woolf, spokesperson for the Australian Federation of Right to Life Associations, telephone 02 6253 3100