Media release 26 November 2004

In jail for life

Brisbane father Graham Preston is in jail for life – or at least, for trying to save lives.

Graham is in the high security Arthur Gorrie Correctional Centre in Richlands, about 20 km south west of Brisbane city. He has been remanded behind bars for three months until 22 February 2005, when his case is listed for hearing. He is allowed a visit from his wife and children (including a young baby) for just two hours each week. He will not be home this Christmas.

He protested that the written charge against him used exactly the same wording as a charge which the Chief Magistrate dismissed on 3 March 2004. But police claimed they would use a different argument this time, so Graham must face trial once again. Police have not told him the exact part of the law which he is alleged to have broken. He would not agree to sign bail conditions to the effect that he would no longer try to save lives – so this man of peace has been locked up.

Then what exactly did Graham Preston do on 17 November, the day of his arrest?

He sat quietly in the doorway of a suburban abortion clinic. He held a sign saying, “Abortion kills children”. He did not use offensive language or any kind of force against anyone.

He did little more than federal Health Minister Tony Abbott, who recently mentioned his sadness at Australia’s “abortion tragedy” – or the Governor-General, who this month called on Australians to do everything possible to reduce the number of abortions.

He did little more than point to one of the reasons Australia now has too few babies to replace retiring workers – a problem which will cause great hardship in years to come.

Why are police not investigating Brisbane abortion clinics? Queensland law allows abortion only in cases where the mother’s health is at serious risk. However there is evidence that social convenience is far more likely to be the reason such clinics perform abortions – and that these abortions may cause considerable harm, not only to unborn babies, but to their mothers.

A recent article in the Sunday Canberra Times (14/11/04, p 30) told the tragic story of an abortion performed for social reasons in a Bowen Hills clinic. The article said: “The obstetrician/ gynaecologist who was involved in repairing [the woman whose uterus was greatly damaged during the abortion] said he sees almost a woman a fortnight needing treatment after arriving at his hospital from surrounding abortion clinics. He has just performed another hysterectomy on an abortion-injured patient – one of six in recent times. He cannot count how many times he has had to remove retained foetal parts from women.”

The article said that police have been notified about at least one such case, and have interviewed the aborted mother in hospital – but no charges have been laid.

So why are police so eager to charge – and imprison – Graham Preston, whose only crime has been to quietly warn people that abortion kills children?

…………………………..

Mrs Roslyn Phillips, B Sc Dip Ed Website http://www.fol.org.au

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