19th January, 06
The Community Affairs Committee has received over 4,000 submissions regarding Ministerial responsibility of the drug RU486. The report that half are anti-abortion rhetoric with no reference to Ministerial control, should disallow their use in proceedings.
The large number is clear evidence that religious adherents have been programmed to respond. Therefore, the remaining submissions in favour of continued Ministerial control have the potential to be part of a contrived stratagem designed by a minority religious view and must be treated with due suspicion. They do not genuinely represent the wishes of the electorate, having concern only for an unproven supernatural notion rather than assisting the Committee in its deliberations.
Failure to consider the above would be a strong indication the Community Affairs Committee is acting on behalf of a would-be theocracy and not to the advantage of electors.
Atheist Foundation of Australia President, David Nicholls, added: “The Therapeutic Goods Administration service and its expert advisers can establish safety and efficacy of RU486 better than any single Minister. It is especially so if the Minister has a religious bias blurring his thoughts.”
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