Small Win, Big Defeat For SA Pro-Life Bill

The Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) laments: “One day Australians will recognise a baby is a baby both in and out of the womb.”

“But tragically that time is not now.”

The ACL was reflecting on the overwhelming defeat of a private members bill in the South Australian Parliament on Wednesday night.

it sought to restrict terminations after 25-weeks pregnancy.

Mostly Labor Lower House MPs voted it down by 36-votes to nine.

HISTORY MADE AS UPPER HOUSE PASSES PRO-LIFE BILL

However, there was some joy for the pro-life movement when the bill was passed in the Upper House by 10-votes to nine.

It is the furthest a pro-life bill has made it through South Australia’s parliament after two earlier bids in 2024 and 2025 were voted down by the Upper House.

Hundreds of supporters of the bill led by pro-life campaigner Dr. Joanna Howe, braved the rain to hold a rally on the steps of Parliament House as the Legislative Council voted on the proposed law.

Their cheers for the history-making vote could be heard in the Upper House chamber as it approved the bill.

WHAT THE BILL SOUGHT TO CHANGE

South Australian law currently permits abortions after 23 weeks, with the approval of two doctors, if the continuation of the pregnancy would involve “significant risk of injury to the physical or mental health” of the mother.

This latest bill would have removed that exemption.

The proposed law, introduced by Upper House MP Sarah Game,would have effectively banned abortion from 25 weeks onwards, except when necessary to save the life of the mother or in cases of serious fetal abnormalities.

It originally precluded fetal abnormalities as a reason for access to a late-term abortion.

However, the exemption was later included after an amendment by Labor MP Tung Ngo.

He said he did not support late-term abortion, but was “against forcing families into suffering when the medical reality is clear and the outcome is heartbreak”.

SA PREMIER AND OPPOSITION LEADER BOTH SUPPORTED THE PRO-LIFE BILL

The matter was a conscience vote for Labor and Liberal MPs.

The Greens voted against it, while One Nation supported it.

Both premier Peter Malinauskas and opposition leader Ashton Hurn voted in favour of the bill, but did not speak.

In the Lower House they were joined by Sam Telfer, David Pisoni, Jason Virgo, Robert Roylance, Tom Koutsantonis, Michael Brown and Chantelle Thomas.

In the Upper House the bill was supported by Sarah Game, Nicola Centofanti, Clare Scriven, Tung Ngo, Dennis Hood, Ben Hood, Heidi Girolamo, Cory Bernardi, Rebecca Hewett and Carlos Quaremba.

MP BEHIND THE BILL JOINS ‘FAMILY FIRST’

The bill’s sponsor and former One Nation MP Sarah Game only joined the pro-Christian values Family First party on Tuesday.

She’s the party’s first sitting member in the state’s parliament in five years.

Family First National Director Lyle Shelton described Ms. Game as “one of the strongest and most courageous advocates for families in any Australian parliament”.

The Australian Christian Lobby thanked Sarah Game for her “bold stand for truth and willingness to defend the dignity of every human life.”

It also thanked every MP who voted for her bill.

“EQUAL PROTECTION HAS TAKEN AN IMPORTANT STEP FORWARD”

The ACL said: “Though this bill has fallen, the movement for equal protection under the law has taken an important step forward.”

“We will continue working towards the day when every baby, born or unborn, is recognised and protected.”

“We strive towards a future where the most vulnerable human beings receive the same protection in the law as every other human being.”

Across the country, abortion laws effectively allow terminations from conception to birth in most jurisdictions.