It is welcome that the Government appears to be making the first hesitant steps towards taking a humane view on the troubled subject of abortion. I deprecate the level of hypocrisy, abuse and heckling that goes on from people who are opposed to this. The real mistake was in 1983, when the theological position of one church in this country - that the fertilised egg represents a full human being - was instituted in the Constitution. My church was very strongly against this. The Constitution was not the place for that, and that is what has landed us in all this trouble. Anybody who knows anything about reproduction knows that the female body sheds fertilised eggs all the time. There is no doubt about that. Millions will vanish unknown, and these are said to be full human beings. That is the kind of logical impasse into which one drives one's self.

My colleague, Senator Mullen, talked about psychiatrists. Apparently just over 100 spoke. I understand the membership of the association is 800. They tried to make out that 90% of those replied. They wrote to 300 or 400 and approximately 100 replied. That is a small proportion, and out of 800 it is minute.

It is a good response rate.

It is ridiculous.

My colleague here, who spoke about it earlier, referred yesterday on the radio to opponents using bogus science, and he instanced somebody who could be clearly identified as a psychiatrist as practising the corruption of medicine. I would have thought that was actionable. It most certainly does not represent respectful dialogue, courtesy or anything like that. Other Members have brought up this fantasy that women are automatically damaged by this.

Does the Sentor have a question for the Leader?

Yes. I am asking for a debate on this issue in order that we can put on the record the truth about these things, uncomfortable as it may be.

The American Psychological Association evaluated all the results in 2008.

The Senator can use this information when we debate the matter.

It stated:

The best scientific evidence published indicates that among adult women who have an unplanned pregnancy the relative risk of mental health problems is no greater if they have a single elective first-trimester abortion than if they deliver that pregnancy.

In 2011, the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges in Britain, with the Royal College of Psychiatrists, published its report on abortion-----

The Senator is over time.

I am just ending. Its report stated: “Having an abortion does not increase the risk of mental health problems.” That is the definitive professional opinion, not the opinion of people who seek to damage the reputation of psychiatrists-----

The Senator is over time.

-----by accusing them of bogus science and of corruption of medicine. That was a disgraceful comment that should never have been made. I hope it will not be repeated in the House.

Senator Norris should resume his seat.