Saturday Magazine

17 Mar 2014

Are anti-abortion protesters about to be silenced?

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Are anti-abortion protesters about to be silenced?

When the Napthine Government strengthened Victoria’s protest laws, including the introduction of so-called “move on orders”, the controversy was swift. Some pointed at the notorious loitering anti-abortion protesters who have long caused staff at one Melbourne clinic more trouble than they’re willing to endure.

After news broke that the clinic was suing the City of Melbourne for alleged inaction against the protesters, Lord Mayor Robert Doyle claimed that his council had been incapable of forcing the issue.

“I think it is going to take an intervention such as the Premier has initiated through the Move On Laws through the Parliament of Victoria… I welcome the day when those young women at this vulnerable time in their lives, can go about their business without being harassed in this obscene way,” he told ABC News.

But as the Australian Sex Party’s Fiona Patten said on this edition of Saturday Magazine, laws that could be used to protect the clinic from this kind of behaviour have existed for a long time, and a failure to effectively enforce them should not be used for what some may call ulterior motives. Joining hosts Macca and Katie Purvis, Fiona was clear in her opposition to Victoria’s new laws aimed at cracking down on nuisance protesters, pointing out various unreported consequences of the legislation.

Are you concerned about Victoria’s new protest laws? Are today’s hosts fair in their opposition to the legislation? Let us know over at the Saturday Magazine Facebook page.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:32:00 — 84.2MB)

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