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Melbourne’s annual March for the Babies will be held this Saturday, 12 October. But this year’s march comes after an incredible pro-life campaign during the NT election. The NT election results have much to teach and encourage Victorians.

Melbourne’s March for the Babies is lined up for this Saturday, 12 October 2024. We hope you can join us! (Download a flyer to share with friends, family, churches and communities at the bottom of this article.)

Ahead of the march, we have an exclusive piece of information to share with you.

Abortion Law in Victoria

But first, to put it into context, let’s look at the history of abortion in Victoria. On 10 October 2008, the Victorian Labor Government passed the Abortion Law Reform Act 2008 which effectively legalised abortion up to birth for any reason in the state.

The laws were notably extreme and brutal and had the dark distinction of being some of the worst laws in the so-called developed world. Some aspects of the law include:

1. Abortion for any reason is legal, right up to birth. This means a full-term healthy baby of a healthy woman can be aborted in Victoria (and yes, this has happened, tragically).
2. Babies born alive in abortion are left to die (by legal omission).
3. Sex-selective abortion is legal. Meaning an unborn child can be aborted solely because of its gender.
4. There are no safeguards for women considering abortion – like free independent counselling.
5. Doctors with a conscientious objection to abortion are compelled to refer for abortion anyway.
6. Babies are cruelly not anaesthetised before an abortion.

The laws set a dangerous precedent for barbaric late-term abortion laws in Australia. Sadly, all states and territories followed suit in the following years.

It’s also worth knowing that under Victoria’s abortion laws, around 50% of late-term abortions are healthy babies of healthy women, and in 2009 (the first year post the law change) four full-term healthy babies of healthy women were aborted (proof here).

This is absolutely devasting. While it may seem like there is no path out of such darkness, the truth is that there is hope and a path forward!

Victorian Polling Data is Far More Pro-Life Than the Law

Recent polling to gauge Victorian voters’ views on abortion revealed that Victorians are far more pro-life than their state’s extreme laws! For instance, only 5% of Victorians agree with abortion up to birth! And 70% of Victorian voters want babies born alive in abortion given medical care. Here is a snapshot of some of the results.

Full polling results can be accessed here.

These outstanding results show the enormous disparity between the law and what Victorians think about this critical life-and-death issue. The results reveal there is scope and community support for change in favour of the unborn and pregnant women. That is encouraging!

So how do we go about that change?

1. Educate. It’s time we start letting friends and family and our church groups in Victoria know how bad the laws are and the results of the polls.
2. Get involved. Consider getting involved with the pro-life movement in Victoria.
3. Join a campaign. At the Victorian election in 2026, consider joining a campaign that raises the travesty of late-term abortion ahead of the election. Help make late-term abortion an election issue to bring about pro-life change.

Incredible 2024 NT Election Results

We (at Pro-Life Victoria) we went into the NT (as they have no local pro-life group established) ahead of the 2024 Northern Territory election in August. We campaigned against the Territory Labor Government because they legalised abortion up to birth for any reason in 2021 and left babies born alive after a failed abortion to die.

By contrast, NT’s Country Liberal Party made a pre-election promise to support legislation to give babies born alive after a failed abortion medical care – so there was a point of difference.

Our campaign, by the kindness of God, was measurably successful. Out of the 25 electoral seats in the NT, the average two-party preferred (2PP) swing against Territory Labor was 10.4%.

However, in the eleven electorates that Pro-Life Victoria campaigned in, the 2PP swing against Labor was 13.51%.

But in the 14 seats Pro-Life Victoria did not campaign in, the 2PP swing against Territory Labor was only 7.96%.

The differential was 5.55%. So, the swing against Territory Labor was 5.55% greater in the seats we did work in.

(For those who want more, some of the messaging of our 2024 NT Election campaign can be found here www.ntlaborlast.org.au).

Conclusion

So, there is hope. Let’s really pray, work towards it and hope for change in Victoria!

With the Lord’s help, we can do it!