By ABC NEWS.
Legislation preventing protesters from coming within 150 metres of an abortion clinic has passed the Upper House of the Victorian Parliament without amendment.
The abortion buffer zone laws make it illegal for anti-abortion protesters to harass or film women going in or coming out of the clinics.
Protestors who breach the so-called buffer zone may face fines or jail time for repeat offences.
The bill, amending the Health and Wellbeing Act, was originally put forward by Sex Party MP Fiona Patten and was passed in the early hours of the morning after 12 hours of debate.
The legislation follows years of complaints from the clinics about pro-life campaigners approaching women outside clinics, urging them not to terminate their pregnancy.
Health Minister Jill Hennessy said the changes were “long overdue”.
“Women will no longer be able to be harassed and intimidated around abortion clinics,” she said.
She said the law would send a message to protesters that women should be free to access what is a lawful service.
“But no doubt there will be people trying to test the law,” she said.
“We’ll be working with Victoria Police and all service providers to make sure that we get this law enforced and women are able to go about their lawful business without being the subject of harassment and intimidation.”
Ms Hennessy said she hoped people understood that it is their right to protest on the steps of Parliament but not outside a medical clinic.
This post originally appeared on ABC Online.
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Top Comments
Pro-life people seem to forget that children thrive better if they're actually wanted by their parents.
And how well do they go after an abortion?
How well does any thing go that doesn't even exist? What is your point?
Guest said kids do well if they are raised by parents who want them suggesting that it's better for the kid to be aborted than raised in a family that didn't really want them.
I think for the most part kids would prefer to be born.
well l can answer that---during a conversation about my parents with my grandmother ( who has now passed away ) l was about 22 at the time (now 52) we were talking about them getting married---l already knew that is was a shot gun wedding so to speak as my mother was only 17 and my father 19---but what l didnt know but found out that day was that my mother had actually tried to abort me and my grandmother proudly said to me but l stopped her---l had felt unwanted all my life---and this just well proved it
l said to my grandmother l wont ever thank you for doing that because my childhood is full of memories of my mother myself and a brother that was born 18months after me physically, verbally and emotionally abused---my brother and l were palmed off to whatever family or friend would have us---and it is during this time l started to be sexually abused by a family member--- and years later l found out that a family friend had also sexually abused my brother---my mother passed away 15yrs ago and l have only seen my father twice in 25 yrs---my brother and l havent spoken since my mothers funeral.
l have had issues most of my adult life still do---l have difficulty with relationships and trust---yes l have counselling etc however the truth of it all never really leaves me.
l think l should say here that l terminated a pregnancy before l was 20 and have never regretted the decision---a child deserves more than l was able to give
However having said that l feel that lm one of the lucky ones not because l was born but
l feel that l am one of the lucky ones---you only have to see the news and the terrible abuse that some children face everyday.
lt could be said that more responsibility should be taken not to fall pregnant in the first place and thats a fair argument.
l am a child that was not wanted---l am the child that knows this---l am the child that should never have been born.
lm the child born because my grandmother decided what was best ---for who ?
I am pretty disappointed in this legislation, and even more so that it was instigated by the Sex Party, a party I have a lot of respect for. I don't really support pro-lifers protesting outside abortion clinics, but I don't think this sort of ban is the way to go.
Because politicians create legislation, but it is the lawyers and judges that interpret it and enforce it. And it is relatively easy for future politicians to make 'tweaks' to this legislation to encompass more types of protests.
For example - what if the pro-life group starting protesting about a slightly different topic - would that still be subject to the 150m ban? Are all protests potentially impacted by this ban - or will it be up to the police officers attending to decide if the protest meets the 'pro-life' criteria?
Don't be surprised if a future government uses this legislation to ban other forms of protest that they don't agree with / don't like.