The successful fight to decriminalise abortion in Victoria put abortion rights back onto the national stage. No sooner was Victoria's reform passed in October 2008 than the Catholic Church began preparations to challenge it. Six months later, the Queensland police charged a 19-year-old Cairns woman and her partner under the state's 1899 Criminal Code for procuring her abortion. This year, through February and March, an orchestrated targeting by religious zealots of clinics in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane further signals a resurgence of coordinated assaults on women's rights. The abortion wars have reignited.
Last month, Radical Women and other grassroots abortion rights activists from Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland met in Sydney to analyse developments and chart a course for a coordinated national campaign. RW will report back from this historic gathering. Come along to hear about it, share your ideas and be part of the action!