Two men who were waiting for patients tackled and disarmed the gunman as clinic staff called the police. In custody, charged with murder, the gunman has to date refused to identify himself.

Founded by the late doctor Bertram Wainer in 1972, the Fertility Control Clinic has been targeted by antiabortion protesters for decades.

Jo Wainer, who helped her husband set up the clinic, explained in an interview with Melbourne's daily newspaper The Age, "There were times in the 1970s and the early '80s when there were hundreds surrounding the building. I remember my husband walking over the top of them (he was a big man) to get a woman who was trying to get inside. Angry mobs used to surround the cars of women arriving at the clinic. They would rock the cars and scream that the women were murderers."

Soon after the murder, Right To Life president Margaret Tighe said, "Given the nature of what occurs in these places, it is a wonder there have not been any more of these incidents." She added that "unborn children are being killed there. When you know that, it is not surprising that somebody might want to take the law into their own hands."

Ben O'Brien from Helpers of God's Precious Innocents said, "We are shocked and sad. We knew Steve reasonably well; he was a nice bloke and we did not wish him any ill. But we believe that violence begets violence. It's hardly surprising that abortion leads to acts of violence."

An editorial appearing on July 19 in the Australian began by saying, "There is no place in Australia for US-style violence directed at those who enter abortion clinics." Pointing the finger at the United States as the source of violence has become a media refrain as well as a discussion amongst defenders of abortion rights in Australia. The same editorial concluded, "Tolerant Australians do not identify with the extremism of people at polar ends of this complex controversy, and would prefer reasoned debate about a vexing public and social question." The big business daily claimed that both supporters of access to legal, safe abortion and the antiabortion protesters share equal blame.

Natasha Stott-Despoya, leader of the Australian Democrats, is calling for laws banning antiabortion protests within a designated perimeter around clinics. This is being supported by other activists, such as Children by Choice in Brisbane who are lobbying for similar legislation.

Margaret Kirkby, center manager of the Bessie Smythe Foundation--Australia's first feminist abortion service--and an activist in the Women's Abortion Action Campaign (WAAC) in Sydney, explained, "WAAC opposes such legislation. If the government begins banning antiabortion protests, what's next? Will trade union actions be banned? Or demonstrations outside refugee detention centers?"

A small abortion rights protest took place on the steps of Victoria's State Parliament in the days immediately after the murder. WAAC in Sydney is organizing a public meeting on August 29 to defend abortion rights, condemn the murder and discuss the way forward.

Joanne Kuniansky is a member of the Australasian Meat Industry Employees' Union and of WAAC.  
 
 
Front page (for this issue) | Home | Text-version home