Pro-lifers protest law attacking conscience protections in New South Wales, Australia

Archbishop Anthony Fisher of Sydney, Australia. / Credit: EWTN News

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, May 9, 2025 / 10:12 am (CNA).

Pro-life activists in Australia this week protested against a bill that would force health care workers with conscientious objections to refer patients for abortions.

The Abortion Law Reform Amendment (Health Care Access) Bill 2025 comes six years after the southeastern Australian state decriminalized abortion and allowed doctors to perform the procedure up to 22 weeks’ gestation.

Controversially, the bill states that persons with conscientious objections may be exempted from performing abortions “only by giving information to the person on how to locate or contact a medical practitioner who, in the practitioner’s reasonable belief, does not have a conscientious objection.”

A broad coalition of pro-lifers, including Catholic clergy, participated in a rally that took place outside of the state Parliament on Wednesday night as the bill moved through the upper house.

“I was one of six bishops who attended the rally outside Parliament last night, with dozens of clergy and thousands of faithful of all religions, and none[s],” Archbishop Anthony Fisher of Sydney wrote on Facebook. “They were united in their disgust regarding the radical Greens abortion bill currently before the state Parliament. I thank each one for their participation.”

The bill’s stated purpose is “to increase access to abortion health care.” It was introduced by Amanda Cohn, a member of Parliament and member of the progressive Australian Greens party, in February. 

If passed, the bill will also allow nurse practitioners and midwives to perform abortions.

“For a state with some of the most permissive abortion laws and highest abortion rates in the world to move to kill the bodies of even more babies is dumbfounding,” Fisher continued, adding: “But the determination to kill the souls of health professionals and institutions as well, by forcing their participation or by co-opting our nurses and midwives is truly fearsome, indeed hellish.”

Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott also spoke at the rally, telling news outlets that the bill is “a fundamental assault” on freedom of conscience.

“It’s designed to force Catholic and other Christian hospitals … out of the health care system unless they are to sacrifice their principles. It’s really about cancelling faith in our public life.”