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Abbott's abortion comments slammedMarch 17, 2004
Federal Health Minister Tony Abbott's declaration that more effort should be put into preventing teenage promiscuity to reduce abortions was met with both approval and disgust.
Christian groups praised Mr Abbott for taking a moral stand on family issues and predicted his values would help the coalition win the fractured Christian vote at this year's federal election.
But women's groups condemned the minister and demanded he immediately withdraw the comments.
Speaking at Adelaide University on the ethical role of a Christian politician, Mr Abbott described the rate of abortion in Australia as a national tragedy and said society had too lax an attitude towards sexual promiscuity among teenagers.
He said there were 100,000 abortions in Australia each year and even those who believed abortion was a woman's right should be troubled by the fact women chose to destroy their unborn babies.
Women's Electoral Lobby spokeswoman Sarah Maddison blasted Mr Abbott for blaming teenage promiscuity for the 100,000 abortions in Australia each year.
She labelled his comments appalling and called on him to immediately withdraw them.
"The minister seems to be unduly influenced by his own Catholicism," Dr Maddison said.
"Suggesting that teenagers should abstain from sex as a means of reducing the abortion rate is absurd and outdated policy.
"It is educated and employed women in their 20s who are most likely to seek an abortion."
It was a different story from the Australian Christian Lobby.
The group's chairman Jim Wallace said Mr Abbott's speech highlighted the important role politicians with Christian values had in addressing anomalies in public policy.
He said Christians had for too long been silent on moral issues if they fell within the political domain.
"Mr Abbott's comments are a wake-up call for Christians in politics and for the voters in general," Mr Wallace said.
"In a time when abortion, homosexual marriage and the rights of the child are all prominent, it is important that Christian men and women address these issues."
Abbott's abortion comments slammedMarch 17, 2004
Federal Health Minister Tony Abbott's declaration that more effort should be put into preventing teenage promiscuity to reduce abortions was met with both approval and disgust.
Christian groups praised Mr Abbott for taking a moral stand on family issues and predicted his values would help the coalition win the fractured Christian vote at this year's federal election.
But women's groups condemned the minister and demanded he immediately withdraw the comments.
Speaking at Adelaide University on the ethical role of a Christian politician, Mr Abbott described the rate of abortion in Australia as a national tragedy and said society had too lax an attitude towards sexual promiscuity among teenagers.
He said there were 100,000 abortions in Australia each year and even those who believed abortion was a woman's right should be troubled by the fact women chose to destroy their unborn babies.
Women's Electoral Lobby spokeswoman Sarah Maddison blasted Mr Abbott for blaming teenage promiscuity for the 100,000 abortions in Australia each year.
She labelled his comments appalling and called on him to immediately withdraw them.
"The minister seems to be unduly influenced by his own Catholicism," Dr Maddison said.
"Suggesting that teenagers should abstain from sex as a means of reducing the abortion rate is absurd and outdated policy.
"It is educated and employed women in their 20s who are most likely to seek an abortion."
It was a different story from the Australian Christian Lobby.
The group's chairman Jim Wallace said Mr Abbott's speech highlighted the important role politicians with Christian values had in addressing anomalies in public policy.
He said Christians had for too long been silent on moral issues if they fell within the political domain.
"Mr Abbott's comments are a wake-up call for Christians in politics and for the voters in general," Mr Wallace said.
"In a time when abortion, homosexual marriage and the rights of the child are all prominent, it is important that Christian men and women address these issues."
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