Julian McGauran (Victoria, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

Yes, Mr President, I will not refer to the coming debate, although I admit I did in the early part of my contribution. I was touching on the matter with regard to undertaking the procedure of late-term abortion and distinguishing that procedure from early-term abortion procedures. I said it was far more difficult surgically—it requires greater physicality and mental intent to terminate the baby. The truth of the matter is that these babies are strong and fight for their lives. Late-term abortion, therefore, is clinically different because the foetus is more mature and consequently larger. It has recognisable human appearances, a solid bone structure, a well-developed cardiovascular system and central nervous system, and is responsive to painful stimuli. It has been well featured in many pictures and documentaries that a baby in the womb responds to an invasion by a probing needle by placing its hands in front of its face to protect herself.

A fine example of this is the shocking yet wonderful story of Gianna Jessen, an American woman who survived abortion. Gianna has been in the parliament for the last two days, meeting with senators and relating her story of survival in the hope that she will inspire them. Gianna survived abortion at seven months of age by being saved by a nurse after being burned in the womb by a saline solution for 18 hours. To quote her:

I remained in the solution for approximately 18 hours and was delivered on April 6, 1977 at 6am in a Californian abortion clinic ... a nurse called an ambulance while the abortionist was not yet on duty ... this happened to me.

I will just read two paragraphs of Gianna Jessen’s biography:

Gianna Jessen does not quit. Giving up is not an option to her. Gianna has what she refers to as the “gift” of Cerebral Palsy. She weighed a mere 2 lbs at birth and the doctors said she would never be able to hold up her head, sit up, crawl or walk. She began to walk by the age of three years old with the help of leg braces and a walker.

Gianna doesn’t believe that her Cerebral Palsy takes away from her life, but, rather, enriches it ... she walks with a slight limp today and runs marathons. On April 30, 2005 she completed her first 26.2 mile marathon after running just over seven hours and was presented with the coveted blank blank award! On April 23, 2006 she completed the London Marathon as well. She is now determined to run marathons all over the place, because she was never supposed to even walk!

The irony of the story is that it is a beautiful story. To meet Gianna is inspirational. She is a very joyous person, a very courageous person, and like all of us she is alive, but she is not meant to be.

We meet many people in this wonderful job that we have. To meet many people—people of high office, low office and no office—is one of the great privileges of public life, and I would have to say that meeting Gianna has been the one of the great privileges. I would urge all senators, or as many as possible, to meet Gianna—whatever position or whatever side of the fence, if you like, that you take—because she is an inspirational person.

In conclusion, I am convinced that unless a line is drawn in the sand with regard to late-term abortions society will quietly, unnoticed perhaps, but surely fall into the practice of eugenics. Frankly, it is already being undertaken in so many clinics today. However, as a Senate, as a parliament or, more so, as a society, we need to draw a line in the sand on late-term abortions—I make the distinction quite clearly from early-term abortions; I hope I have made the distinction in my speech—otherwise we will quietly but surely fall into the practice of eugenics.