[Greens-Media] FW: MEDIA RELEASE: 'Greens MP Says Zoe’s Law Defeated for Now, Campaign Must Focus on Decriminalisation of Abortion'

[Mehreen Faruqi]

Media Release
20.11.14
Greens MP Says Zoe’s Law Defeated for Now, Campaign Must Focus on Decriminalisation of Abortion

NSW Greens MP and Spokesperson for the Status of Women, Dr Mehreen Faruqi MLC, has welcomed the defeat of the foetal personhood law, also known as Zoe’s Law, which will lapse after proponent MPs failed to bring it forward for debate in the Upper House. But Dr Faruqi has warned it is only a matter of time before a similar bill is brought about so the urgent priority must be the decriminalisation of abortion. Dr Faruqi has a bill to decriminalise abortion before the upper house.

Dr Faruqi said:

“Thanks to pressure from everyday women and women’s rights groups, as well as the legal and medical community, the MPs pushing for the foetal personhood law have failed to bring it forward for debate on the last day of parliament. My advice is that the bill will lapse before parliament resumes after the 2015 election.

“It is, however, just a matter of time before another foetal personhood bill or another such bill that would seek to control women’s bodies is debated in parliament. It is therefore critical that we build the campaign to remove abortion from the crimes act.

“I am proud to be part of the only party that committed voting as a block to oppose foetal personhood and will continue to do so.

“It is really important that we recognise the deep tragedy of a woman’s loss during pregnancy in an accident; however foetal personhood is not the answer” Dr Faruqi concluded.

Media contact: Matt Hilton for Mehreen Faruqi 9230 2625 / 0423 106 247