THE Christian Democrat MP Fred Nile has launched a graphic campaign against abortion, forcing the government to consider a series of laws he will introduce to Parliament this session.
The Nile bills include one which would require women to undergo counselling and to view an ultrasound of the unborn child before proceeding with an abortion in cases of a healthy pregnancy. Another bill would require that women be told that abortion causes pain to the unborn child.
A third bill proposes preventing women terminating a pregnancy on the grounds of race or sex. The fourth would propose to make it illegal to destroy an unborn child with a detectable heartbeat.
Abortion is legal in NSW if a doctor takes into account the impact on a woman's physical and mental health, any medical risks, and her economic and social circumstances, before agreeing to the procedure.
Colour images of abortion procedures have been distributed in a publication as part of the campaign.
Mr Nile said he plans to read five of his private member's bills a second time, which will prompt cabinet to consider them. The Premier, Barry O'Farrell, has guaranteed the government will consider every private member's bill.
Fairfax Media understands the government is unlikely to support the anti-abortion bills but it has been open to negotiating with Mr Nile on a fifth bill which proposes to outlaw killing or hurting an unborn child, other than in medical procedures, such as abortion, which are conducted with the consent of the woman involved.
If adopted, the Crimes Amendment (Zoe's Law) Bill 2012 would create the potential for someone to be charged with manslaughter if they caused a woman to lose her baby.
The law has been named in honour of the unborn child of Brodie Donegan, a central coast woman who was eight months pregnant on Christmas Day in 2009 when a driver on drugs ran over her.
While the existing law defines harm against a foetus as an aggravated assault against the mother, Zoe's Law would create a separate offence.
Mr Nile said it would give the unborn child legal protection but would not affect existing abortion laws. However, NSW Greens MP David Shoebridge said he would not support the bill because the existing law made the loss of a foetus an aggravating factor in sentencing "and that gets the balance right".
''The intellectual point here is if you have taken the life in the womb this is the thin end of the wedge which could open up abortion laws," Mr Shoebridge said.
The shadow attorney-general, Paul Lynch, said Mr Nile's proposed bill was unnecessary and would confuse the law.
A spokeswoman for the Attorney-General, Greg Smith, said Mr Nile's bills have not been to cabinet, which would determine the government's position on them.
