7:30 Report Brings Back Memories

Last night’s 7:30 Report feature on the abortion drug RU486 reminded me of the pro-life conference I went to in September. Melinda Tankard Reist, whom I met for the second time at the conference, was on the 7:30 Report last night. I met her for the first time when she spoke in Hobart during May 2004. I wanted to meet Melinda after I had read her book Giving Sorrow Words. Here we are at the conference:


Reist has done an amazing job of challenging people to focus on the need to be both pro-life and pro-woman. This year she helped set up Women’s Forum Australia. This independent think tank addresses a variety of women’s issues, including work and family, and is one of the most exciting things to happen on the pro-life horizon in years. In Brisbane this week hundreds of women attended a pro-life meeting Women’s Forum Australia organised, and this was pictured on the 7:30 Report.

At the Brisbane conference I also met Dr. David van Gend, another pro-life stalwart who was on the 7:30 Report. He had many people approaching him to talk or ask questions, but he was still kind enough to answer my questions about euthanasia.

The conference was held at the Parliamentary Annex of Brisbane’s Parliament House, a lovely location. We had a BBQ on the roof. Here is a picture of the view from there:



It really seemed like a gift of God that I got to go to the conference, because I only found out about it the day before! I just “happened” to be in Brisbane to visit family, and I went to visit QLD RTL and found out just in time to go! The aim of the conference was to focus on what we can do, rather than moan about how bad everything is and get depressed. It was encouraging to hear about a pro-life, pro-woman advertising initiative that has had great success in the USA. I had read about it, and it is good to know it may come here – if the pro-life movement can find millions of dollars.