Pro-life rally ahead of Qld abortion vote

Pro-life advocates have marched in stifling heat through Brisbane's CBD ahead of a state parliamentary vote on the decriminalisation of abortion.

Pro-life advocates have marched in Brisbane to heap pressure on Queensland MPs to oppose an independent bill seeking to decriminalise abortion.

They rallied in stifling heat on Saturday ahead of a vote on the proposed legislation, which organisers have described as one of the "most extreme" abortion laws in the world.

More than 25,000 people have also signed a petition to oppose Independent MP Rob Pyne's move to remove abortion from the state's criminal code.

The Cairns MP says law reform is needed to clarify the reasons for and at what point during gestation a termination may be performed in Queensland.

Proposed changes also include gestation limits and 50-metre protected areas at abortion facilities.

However, Cherish Life Queensland, which organised Saturday's 'March for Life', says abortion shouldn't be decriminalised and she's concerned about the door being left open to late-term terminations.

"It (decriminalisation) would be a concern because at the end of the day because we do believe that life begins at the moment of conception," spokesman Chris Da Silva said.

One of Mr Pyne's bills before parliament states a woman more than 24 weeks pregnant can have an abortion only if a doctor reasonably believes continuing the pregnancy would involve greater risk of physical or mental injury than if it was terminated.

A second doctor would also have to agree that continuing the pregnancy posed a greater risk.

But Mr Da Silva said the group had major concerns about that proposal.

"There is no penalty for that safeguard - if the doctor doesn't consult another doctor he doesn't get in trouble," he said.

Mr Da Silva said there were also concerns that protected zones at abortion facilities could lead to an "absurd situation" where a pregnant woman's partner or parent were arrested for trying to persuade her against having an abortion.

Cherish Life has called on Queenslanders to write letters to MPs ahead of vote, expected in March.


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Source: AAP


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