Short Speech given at the Pro Life Rally on the steps of  Parliament House    21 May 2009   at the invitation of the organisers, by Peter Abetz MLA

(the Hon Barbara Scott spoke just prior )

 The Honourable Barbara Scott has indeed been an outspoken advocate in this parliament for children, both born and yet to be born.  Thank you Barbara for having kept up the fight for all those years, and as you retire from this parliament today, be assured that there are others, such as myself, who have been elected to the parliament of more recent times, who will seek to keep up the fight for the rights of the most vulnerable in our society, namely the unborn and the elderly.

It is ironic that on this 11th anniversary of the passing of the Acts Amendment (Abortion) Act 1998, that the Standing Committee on Education and Health tabled its report "Healthy Child - Healthy State - Improving Was child health screen programs"  in the lower house today.  I had the privilege and pleasure of serving on that inquiry.

One of the interesting things that we were told by some of the experts who gave evidence, was that children's educational outcomes can be significantly improved by reading stories to them while they are still in the womb.  It is timely that we are reminded that the child in the womb is indeed a person, and what we say and do already at those very early stages of their lives, helps to shape their lives.

In that report we make recommendations about improving health screening , and make that point that any investment in that  early stages of a child's life will improve the health and education outcomes for our children, as well as reduce medical costs later. As parents we all want the best for our children.

It is indeed a tragedy that on the one hand we spend large sums on IVF  and do rightly do our utmost to keep premature babies alive and giving them the best medical care, while at the same time we have devoted huge medical resources to prevent some 90,000  90,000 young children from seeing the light of day, and enjoying their lives.

As a scientist the fact is that life begins at conception.  To arbitrarily declare that children who have not yet left their mothers womb are not human beings is factually and scientifically wrong, and defies logic.    How many parents tell their children that mummy is carrying a foetus?  No, they speak about the baby in mum's tummy.  But when it is socially inconvenient to give birth and care for a child, it suddenly is euphemistically called a foetus.

While I abhor the needless deaths of so many children in WA, I want to take the opportunity on this anniversary to put on record my sincere thanks to all those individuals and organisations who provide support for women who have unexpected pregnancies and who stand by them in their decision to have their child, and provide them with practical and emotional support.

 If more physical and emotional support was available to women with unexpected pregnancies, I am sure that fewer women would opt for abortion.   So many women feel pressured by boyfriends or family to have an abortion, while deep in their mother heart, they do not want to end the life of their as yet unborn child.   We need to stand by these women, and give them the opportunity to face the future, knowing they will not be on their own.

 I am sure that history will judge this generation harshly. The way we treat the weakest and most vulnerable members of our society is surely the basis on which any society ought to be judged.

 Let's not become weary, but let us continue to stand up for the rights of the unborn and the weakest members of our society.