Right To Life Australia

Right to Life Australia is an organisation which advocates pro-life positions in issues such as abortion, euthanasia and stem cell research.

Right to Life was started in 1973 as Right to Life Victoria. It became Right to Life Australia in 2001. It is non-denominational and non-party political.

Margaret Tighe is the President of Right to Life Australia and Dr Toni Turnbull is Vice President.

The purposes of Right to Life Australia Under the Associations Incorporations Act 1981 Section 5 (b) are:

1. To provide an organisational structure for all forms of collective citizen action in defence of the right to life.

2. To initiate and develop public campaigns designed to secure the legislative recognition of the civil right to life of every human being from the moment of fertilisation until natural death.

3. To campaign for the election of legislators committed to the civil right to life and for the exclusion from office of candidates who refuse to give a commitment to the civil right to life.

4. To provide support for women facing crisis pregnancies.

5. To engage in whatever forms of activity throughout the Commonwealth of Australia as may be necessary to achieve objects (1), (2), (3) and (4).

6. To co-operate with other organisations in pursuance of the above objects.

Its main objective is to provide an organisational structure for collective citizen action against abortion, embryonic stem cell research, and assisted suicide. Since the 1970s and 1980s Right to Life has run political campaigns and public demonstrations against these things. Their members also lobby politicians, give talks to schools and community groups and support women facing crisis pregnancies.

Right to Life Australia organises an annual conference and a newsletter every two months, and funds Pregnancy Counselling Australia, which provides free counselling 24 hours a day, seven days a week, all year. The number for Pregnancy Counselling Australia is 1300 RESPECT.

Right to Life Australia was closely involved in the passing of the Euthanasia Bill 1996 and the Research Involving Human Embryos Bill 2002. In 2005 Right to Life made a statement on the Maria Korp case.

Right to Life Australia also supports Mothers Without Medicare who assist women with crisis pregnancies. They also send out educational material and speakers to community groups.