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On 17 August, Parliament House witnessed historic momentum for the Human Rights (Children Born Alive Protection) Bill 2026.

Record numbers of politicians attended and spoke publicly in support, while media coverage reached unprecedented levels — marking a significant shift in political engagement on this highly contentious issue.

“I’ve never seen so many journalists and big TV crews here to capture the story of the people that are standing against this terrible tragedy in our nation”, remarked Canberra Declaration co-founder Warwick Marsh.

Birth Equality Bill and Its Urgency

Earlier that morning, Llew O’Brien introduced the Human Rights (Children Born Alive Protection) Bill 2026 into the House of Representatives. The bill would ensure that babies who survive an attempted abortion receive the same standard of medical care as any other newborn.

In his speech, O’Brien pointed out that when the same bill was subject to a Senate Committee, health data from Victoria and Queensland recorded that 724 babies had been born alive after an abortion during a ten-year period from 2010–2020.

“Medical professionals opposing the legislation did not dispute these figures,” O’Brien noted.

With abortion-to-birth legislation passed in every state and territory during or after that ten-year period, there is an increased risk that babies delivered after a termination will be born alive.

O’Brien highlighted the urgency with Queensland health data:

“I was shocked to see that in 2023 there were 75 babies born alive after terminations.”

“That is more than three times what it was a decade earlier. In 2013 it was only 22.

“Any one is too many, but it was 22 and now it’s 75.

“That is also the motivation to keep fighting. We have to keep going. Thank you. Stay strong and God bless.”

Unprecedented Political Support

The ACL’s annual Baby Booties display places thousands of booties on Parliament House lawns — each representing a life lost to abortion. Arranged in a cross shape, the display draws attention to Australia’s approximately 90,000 annual abortions, including those resulting in live births.

Thousands of baby booties are arranged in a cross shape at the annual Baby Booties Display. Image: supplied.

While politicians are invited to speak at the annual display, historically few have been willing to do so.

This year was different.

Those who spoke in support of the display and the Children Born Alive Bill included National Party members Llew O’Brien, Anne Webster and leader Matthew Cananvan, Liberal Party members Alex Antic and Jess Collins, and One Nation members Barnaby Joyce and Malcolm Roberts.

Law professor and pro-life advocate Dr Joanna Howe described the increased attention as “remarkable.”

“There are so many more people, much more media interest”, she observed.

“There were so many more politicians willing to put their name to this. So, there’s clearly something happening.

“I was really heartened to see this because I’ve been coming regularly. The first time I came was in 2022, and it was completely different.”

Babies Have Equal Human Rights

This increased political support represents a potential turning point. Previously, politicians have been reluctant to publicly align with pro-life positions, fearing electoral backlash.

Barnaby Joyce, the New England MP, illustrated the moral clarity of the issue and why popularity should never be a motivator.

“I’ve never seen a person showing an ultrasound on a fridge and saying to their friends, ‘Come and have a look at my foetus.’ It’s always, ‘Come and look at my baby,’” he said.

“I don’t know how you explain something that’s got two arms, two legs, a head, and a beating heart, and give it a different name and think it’s got different rights.

“It doesn’t. It’s a person. It’s got person’s rights. We have incrementally arrived at this ludicrous position, evil position, where a baby can be born alive and left to die.”

“Just by being here saying this, you’re going to lose votes.

“[But] I know that that’s the right thing to do because the alternative to that is to be weak.

“To be weak, and a nation that’s run by weak people, fails and disappears.”

Prayer and Divine Timing

Australian Christian Lobby CEO Michelle Pearse attributed the increase in media and political presence to an answer to prayer.

“We were particularly praying that the media would come and that this would go out to Australia. So that prayer has been answered,” Pearse told The Daily Declaration.

“You know, we can’t be discouraged or think that there’s only so little we can do because we know that prayer is effective. God moves in the heavenlies to do things that we can’t do in the natural. And we always acknowledge God as the source of every breakthrough that we have in this area.”

Remarkably, Llew O’Brien and the ACL had not coordinated to align the Born Alive Bill’s introduction with the Baby Booties display. That both events occurred on the same day — beginning within two hours of each other — and without coordination, Michelle Pearse attributed to God’s timing.

Standing next to the hundreds of baby booties, Pearse prayed, “This is all for the cause of life because you are the creator of life. You made life in your image. Every life is precious and valuable. So, before this was ever on our heart, Father, this was on your heart. And we give you praise and glory.”

Hundreds of people have hand-knitted booties to form a part of the Baby Booties display. Image: supplied.

A Continued Call to Prayer

While the Human Rights (Children Born Alive Protection) Bill 2026 was introduced into the Parliament on Monday, there’s no certainty if it will be debated and voted on.

Martin Procter from FamilyVoice Australia told The Daily Declaration that it was critical for Christians to continue to pray for the bill and support politicians willing to publicly stand for life.

“We had a broad section of MPs and senators that came here today to stand for life.

“And we just need Australians to be praying for them, praying for our nation, and praying for these babies, that we would see an end to abortion, that our politicians would be courageous, and that they would stand up for what God wants us to do.”

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Image supplied.