Thirty people attended a May 15 rally on the steps of South Australia’s Parliament House to protest the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration (Registration of Still-Births) Amendment Bill, also known as Jayden’s Law, introduced by Family First MP Robert Brokenshire, which was to be voted upon the next day.
However, in the face of community concerns regarding the intentions and wording of the amendment and a campaign organised by the South Australian Feminist Collective (SAFC), Brokenshire has delayed the vote for several weeks.
The SAFC supports and respects grieving women who have lost a wanted pregnancy and affirms their support for a bill brought by a pro-choice party that allows those women the right to follow the rituals and procedures they feel are needed in order to grieve.
However, the SAFC remains firm that the rights of all women must be considered and does not support any bill that might infringe on the right of women to an abortion.
The SAFC’s concerns regarding the amendment are supported by the Law Society, whose advice states that the society "has some reservations as to the intent of the Amendment Bill due to the application of the proposed definition changes to ‘still-born’ children”. Further, the Law Society said “if the intention of the Amendment Bill is to alter the definition of a ‘still-birth’ to lower the gestation limit to 12 weeks, there will be further ramifications which must be recognised”.
The SAFC will continue to campaign for a woman’s right to choose and against the amendment in its current form.
[Lisa Lines is a member of the South Australian Feminist Collective. Email safeministcollective@gmail.com for more details.]
