By Natalie Zirngast
DARWIN — Members of the NT Pro Choice Collective on June 12 presented local ALP MP Claire Martin with a petition containing almost 1000 signatures supporting the removal of abortion from the NT criminal code. The collective managed to gather the signatures in less than six hours at the Mindil Beach markets.
The collective has been campaigning since February. It was formed when members of the Darwin International Women's Day Collective and the NT University Women's Collective joined together in response to the situation in WA. Abortion is still a criminal act under NT law, making women and their doctors liable to be charged.
A public speak-out at the Parap markets on April 4 was addressed by Martin, the ALP MP for Fannie Bay. Sibylle Kaczorek, spokesperson for the collective, told Green Left Weekly:
"On that day, Claire Martin made a public commitment that if she received enough public support, she would introduce a private member's bill into the NT parliament to remove abortion from the criminal code. The petitions that we have presented indicate that support. We are therefore urging her to make good on her commitment."
Martin promised to have a new bill drafted and to present the petition to the NT parliament at its next sitting.
Kaczorek said the response to the petition was overwhelming. "There were a lot of older women who remember backyard abortions and felt very strongly about the need for abortion laws to be repealed. Many people from overseas were stunned at the backwardness of Australian law.
"Those few hours spent collecting signatures are a clear indication of the broad support within the community for the view that abortion does not belong in the criminal code."
Several Labor politicians, including NT opposition leader Maggie Hickey and newly appointed Senator Trish Crossin, also signed the petition. Federal Labor leader Kim Beazley, who was in Darwin for the day, refused to sign.
The petition was presented with a letter outlining the points the Pro Choice Collective wants to see in the new law. These include the removal from the criminal code of all offences relating to abortion; that after one referral from a doctor, a woman not be obliged to seek further referrals or counselling (though these services should be available); that a woman should be considered capable in law of giving consent at 14; that it be unlawful for a doctor or medical practitioner to refuse to participate or perform this medical procedure on the grounds of conscience; and that all services associated with the procedure be fully publicly funded.
Kaczorek told Green Left Weekly that the need to build public support will not stop with the presentation of the petition and the drafting of a private member's bill.
"There will need to be public pressure if the bill is going to have any chance of passing without amendments", Kaczorek said. "The Pro Choice Collective will be continue to organise people in the campaign through speak-outs, public forums, rallies and other actions. If we keep up the pressure, we have a good chance of being the first state or territory to have abortion completely removed from the criminal code.
"We want to avoid the situation that occurred in WA. Although WA has the best laws in Australia, Cheryl Davenport's bill was watered down. Doctors can still be charged, making abortion services difficult to obtain."
To get involved in the NT Pro Choice Collective, phone Natalie or Sibylle on 8981 4714.