Matt's Protest
FINAL DIARY ENTRY Saturday 11th October, 2008
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Well this is the end of my stay on the steps of Parliament, but certainly not the end of the fight.
I sat in Parliament last night with Kirsten Jack (my sister) and watched as all the amendments to the Bill were voted against. The one that broke my heart the most was with regards to the unborn child feeling pain. Peter Kavanagh presented evidence that said the infant did feel pain and asked that at least an anaesthetic be provided so the infant would feel no pain. The best the opposition could do was to say that they didn't feel pain up to a certain point during the pregnancy. After that point though there was no denying the unborn child can feel pain. But they all voted against the amendment. A number of MPs like Justin Madden didn't even listen to the arguments that Peter and others were putting forward - they just came in when it was time to vote. This happened quite a lot.
As a friend of mine said, life cannot be about winning or losing, but simply about whether we stood our grounds and the grounds of those who can't do it for themselves. So, here's to the future!
While there were countless people to thank there are a few that stand out (sorry to everybody I don't thank!). People wrote me encouragement, called me with encouragement, prayed for me, blessed me, sat with me, turned up at the Prayer & Protest, brought me food and drink and much more. Frank sat with me almost every day and ran errands for me, Dad built and modified the banner stand, Mum drummed up a lot of prayer support and action, Adam inspired, encouraged and supported me, the politicians who came out to get to know me and encourage - Bernie Finn, Peter Kavanagh, Jan Kronberg and Murray Thompson and the Protective Services police who were professional and friendly.
Kirsten, who organised the Prayer & Protest event and did everything behind the scenes to maximise the impact of what I was doing and Rebecca who thought of, designed, built and maintained this website. Both of my sisters have been very professional and incredibly supportive.
I have to say thankyou to my wife Rachael. She told me that if I didn't do this I would regret it and she was right. She has run errands, looked after the kids, made me lunch and dinner and made home a place of peace and rest. She has supported me in so many different ways that I am sure I don't even know of most of the stuff she has done for me. Thankyou Rachael - I love you more and more every day.
The other 2 most important people in my life are my girls - Alana and Kayla. I know that you will have a much better understanding of what I have done when you are older, but you have both surprised and delighted me with your support and insight. Thankyou for giving up your dad for 19 days so I could try to keep babies safe that are in their mummys' tummies. I really have tried my hardest to connect with you both when I came home to tuck you in and at other times whenever I could and I thank you for making that easy. I hope you can look back on this with pride.
It is now legal in the state of Victoria to take the life of a child up to and during birth. We must fight this horror, which is the absolute height of selfishness. Forcing an innocent to give up their life to reduce the suffering of the mother - it is the complete opposite of giving up your life to save another. We MUST stand against this, now and forever. Make sure you join our mailing list - Click here.
God bless you all.
Matt
Back to www.mattsprotest.com
Well this is the end of my stay on the steps of Parliament, but certainly not the end of the fight.
I sat in Parliament last night with Kirsten Jack (my sister) and watched as all the amendments to the Bill were voted against. The one that broke my heart the most was with regards to the unborn child feeling pain. Peter Kavanagh presented evidence that said the infant did feel pain and asked that at least an anaesthetic be provided so the infant would feel no pain. The best the opposition could do was to say that they didn't feel pain up to a certain point during the pregnancy. After that point though there was no denying the unborn child can feel pain. But they all voted against the amendment. A number of MPs like Justin Madden didn't even listen to the arguments that Peter and others were putting forward - they just came in when it was time to vote. This happened quite a lot.
As a friend of mine said, life cannot be about winning or losing, but simply about whether we stood our grounds and the grounds of those who can't do it for themselves. So, here's to the future!
While there were countless people to thank there are a few that stand out (sorry to everybody I don't thank!). People wrote me encouragement, called me with encouragement, prayed for me, blessed me, sat with me, turned up at the Prayer & Protest, brought me food and drink and much more. Frank sat with me almost every day and ran errands for me, Dad built and modified the banner stand, Mum drummed up a lot of prayer support and action, Adam inspired, encouraged and supported me, the politicians who came out to get to know me and encourage - Bernie Finn, Peter Kavanagh, Jan Kronberg and Murray Thompson and the Protective Services police who were professional and friendly.
Kirsten, who organised the Prayer & Protest event and did everything behind the scenes to maximise the impact of what I was doing and Rebecca who thought of, designed, built and maintained this website. Both of my sisters have been very professional and incredibly supportive.
I have to say thankyou to my wife Rachael. She told me that if I didn't do this I would regret it and she was right. She has run errands, looked after the kids, made me lunch and dinner and made home a place of peace and rest. She has supported me in so many different ways that I am sure I don't even know of most of the stuff she has done for me. Thankyou Rachael - I love you more and more every day.
The other 2 most important people in my life are my girls - Alana and Kayla. I know that you will have a much better understanding of what I have done when you are older, but you have both surprised and delighted me with your support and insight. Thankyou for giving up your dad for 19 days so I could try to keep babies safe that are in their mummys' tummies. I really have tried my hardest to connect with you both when I came home to tuck you in and at other times whenever I could and I thank you for making that easy. I hope you can look back on this with pride.
It is now legal in the state of Victoria to take the life of a child up to and during birth. We must fight this horror, which is the absolute height of selfishness. Forcing an innocent to give up their life to reduce the suffering of the mother - it is the complete opposite of giving up your life to save another. We MUST stand against this, now and forever. Make sure you join our mailing list - Click here.
God bless you all.
Matt
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Day 19, 10th October, 2008
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Today's banner is recycled as I thought the vote would have been taken yesterday so I didn't get another banner printed.
I thought I wouldn't be here on the steps today, but I woke up at 4:45am, checked the news and no vote had been taken, so here I am. The sleep-in will just have to wait
You know what's funny? A number of people say good morning to me now. Funny because nobody says good morning in the city to people they don't know and funny because these people aren't commenting for or against what I am doing - they are just being plain, downright friendly. Good on you guys and girls who do that!
Oops sorry Michelle! I was walking to and fro across the steps and my phone was in my pocket and the movement made it ring her phone 20 or so times. If your number is in my phone just be grateful it wasn't you and be grateful it wasn't when I got up at 4:45am too!
Happy Australian Independence Day is the motto of this group of 13 people - no idea what that is about.
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Today's banner is recycled as I thought the vote would have been taken yesterday so I didn't get another banner printed.
I thought I wouldn't be here on the steps today, but I woke up at 4:45am, checked the news and no vote had been taken, so here I am. The sleep-in will just have to wait
You know what's funny? A number of people say good morning to me now. Funny because nobody says good morning in the city to people they don't know and funny because these people aren't commenting for or against what I am doing - they are just being plain, downright friendly. Good on you guys and girls who do that!
Oops sorry Michelle! I was walking to and fro across the steps and my phone was in my pocket and the movement made it ring her phone 20 or so times. If your number is in my phone just be grateful it wasn't you and be grateful it wasn't when I got up at 4:45am too!
Happy Australian Independence Day is the motto of this group of 13 people - no idea what that is about.
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Day 18, 9th October, 2008
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Well, it's either today or tomorrow the vote
happens. From an objective standpoint the odds are against us at this
point, bit I must admit to feeling oddly peaceful. So today I will sit
and watch. And pray.
Oh it was great to see Warwick Marsh from the Fatherhood Foundation
yesterday. He wrote an article about my protest in his newsletter from
which I have received quite a number of very encouraging emails.
I am looking forward to getting up later than 5:20am
Balloons over Melbourne.
A number of people protesting on the steps of Parliament. They are seeking compensation for abuse they suffered as kids in orphanages.
Man I heard some full on stories from people's lives today. One lady had an abortion at 12 years old because she was raped by her stepfather (I think she has posted a comment in my blog). Another talked about going to an abortion centre having no counselling. She thought she dozed off and when she woke, she still thought that she had the baby. So she changed her mind, deciding it was wrong and that she would just make it happen - her partner had left her and she had no support. She ran out of the centre without saying anything to the staff, got into her friend's car and by the time she got home there was blood all over the seat. It left her devastated for years.
There were other stories too.
We had a company dinner at night which had been in the diary from ages ago and I was just wrecked when I went there, but it was so good to see everybody and share some of the stuff that has been happening. I spoke and thanked them - because if it wasn't for their competence and trustwortiness, I wouldn't have been able to do this. Thankyou again guys - you are such a blessing.
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Day 17, 8th October, 2008
I was interviewed by some high school students doing an assignment which was fun and then later on Gordon Moyes, who was speaking at a Parliamentary breakfast, came out to meet me, which I considered an honor.
Pretty quiet today. The debate is continuing inside Parliament. The most exciting thing happening outside at the moment is some amateur film makers taking some footage.
Abortion Bill Loophole: "abortion on demand at any time during pregnancy"
MEMORANDRUM OF ADVICE RE ABORTION LAW
REFORM BILL 2008
As a matter of reality Clause 5 of the Abortion Law Reform Bill 2008 will create a situation in which abortion can be performed at any time during the pregnancy. The loophole is fairly similar to that created by the Menhennitt ruling (1969). After 24 weeks gestation a woman only needs to find a medical practitioner who is prepared to abort her even though there be no reason under Clause 5. In
The medical practitioner only needs a partner or colleague who is prepared to collude and say that he too believed it appropriate in all the circumstances to perform the abortion. If thereafter any questions are asked pursuant to some inquiry or otherwise, all that the two doctors need say is that they both believed the abortion was appropriate in all the circumstances.
Thereafter they can refuse to answer any further questions directed to the question of why they formed that belief on the grounds that any answer to the questions would be a breach of medical practitioner-patient privilege under the Evidence Act 1958. Thus the genuineness of their belief could not be tested.
In these circumstances there would be no evidence by which proceedings for professional misconduct could be brought under the Health Professions Registration Act 2005. Consequently unless the patient or the abortion-provider's staff are prepared to provide evidence that the abortion was performed without any reason at all, abortion providers will be able to perform abortions at any time without risk of proceedings before the relevant board.
As mentoned above, this obvious loophole in the law is somewhat like the situation which inadvertently developed after the Menhennitt ruling. Because the onus of proof was on the Crown, the abortion provider could assert the abortion was performed for serious risks but refuse to identify those risks because of the medical practitioner-patient privilege under the Evidence Act 1958. The Crown was then unable to prove that there were no serious risks to the woman's physical or mental health.
No doubt those who drafted the Bill wanted to place some limitation on abortions after 24 weeks gestation, but in my view the Bill will not be effective in producing that consequence. In reality, in
Charles Francis, AM, QC, is a former MP in the Victorian Parliament, and a former Chairman of the Victorian Bar Council. He has won settlements for women who sued their abortionists for failure to warn of the psychological trauma and the increased risk of breast cancer caused by abortion.
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Day 16, 7th October, 2008
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"No HECS for Tafe!" is the cry of these protestors. They are wearing white sheets with slogans on them and dancing which is quite entertaining.
Neil Mitchell from 3AW interviewed me at about 9:40am today and the interview went pretty well. I was talking about the rights of the father and the unborn child.
Back to www.mattsprotest.com
"No HECS for Tafe!" is the cry of these protestors. They are wearing white sheets with slogans on them and dancing which is quite entertaining.
Neil Mitchell from 3AW interviewed me at about 9:40am today and the interview went pretty well. I was talking about the rights of the father and the unborn child.
Back to www.mattsprotest.com
Day 15, 6th October, 2008
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Carolyn visited again
Frank and Carolyn freezing their butts off with me!
Cold! And wet! We were crouching under umbrellas this morning laughing at how mad we are. There is another pro-choice rally today so please keep us in your prayers.
I have stopped wearing a suit weekdays now as I really am here in the capacity of a father. It happens to also be warmer and more comfortable, but let's stick with the first reason
Thankyou to the lady who came out in the pouring rain to bring me a hot coffee
MP Peter Kavanagh organised a media statement and interview with about 12 pregnant women on the steps of Parliament. It was really powerful - Kirsten Jack made a statement against the Bill saying that these little ones in their wombs are people and deserve to live. There were quite a few tv cameras and reporters who asked Kirsten and the other women a number of questions.
The cameras then went inside Parliament where they covered an event where many medical professionals were meeting to make their stand against the Bill. It was great to see both events and look for them in the news.
Thanks Kenneth for lunch
At 4:30pm Kirsten is being interviewed by Derryn Hinch. I am praying for her.
Jan Kronberg MLC dropped in today - keep up the great work Jan. http://www.jankronberg.com
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Carolyn visited again
Frank and Carolyn freezing their butts off with me!
Cold! And wet! We were crouching under umbrellas this morning laughing at how mad we are. There is another pro-choice rally today so please keep us in your prayers.
I have stopped wearing a suit weekdays now as I really am here in the capacity of a father. It happens to also be warmer and more comfortable, but let's stick with the first reason
Thankyou to the lady who came out in the pouring rain to bring me a hot coffee
MP Peter Kavanagh organised a media statement and interview with about 12 pregnant women on the steps of Parliament. It was really powerful - Kirsten Jack made a statement against the Bill saying that these little ones in their wombs are people and deserve to live. There were quite a few tv cameras and reporters who asked Kirsten and the other women a number of questions.
The cameras then went inside Parliament where they covered an event where many medical professionals were meeting to make their stand against the Bill. It was great to see both events and look for them in the news.
Thanks Kenneth for lunch
At 4:30pm Kirsten is being interviewed by Derryn Hinch. I am praying for her.
Jan Kronberg MLC dropped in today - keep up the great work Jan. http://www.jankronberg.com
My business is an
internet business and deals with matching people looking for products with
sellers. A friend of mine in the industry found out what I was doing and was so
inspired that he is now directing around 25,000 people per day from all over the
world to my website at a significant cost to himself. I am so blown away by his
generosity and belief in this - thanks mate - you know who you
are!
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Day 14, 5th October, 2008
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Today was the Prayer and Protest event and what a powerful event it was. The police counted 3000 people. There were a number of people from interstate and many from country Victoria, even from Mildura! There were people from many, many denominations - Catholics, Baptists, CRC, Anglican and so many more - what an awesome display of unity and how we Australians do not want this Bill.
I want thank everybody who was there. Your conduct was utterly respectful and your hearts for the rights of fathers and unborn children so obvious, your love for women sincere.
I would like to thank the pro-choice group as well. Thankyou for acknowledging my respect for your protest yesterday and not disturbing our gathering today. Maybe there is hope for an honorable and respectful fight yet
The time today was so good. A number of people spoke including MPs, all of them eloquently, passionately and respectfully - me included! Kirsten Jack, my sister and organiser of the event MC'ed the event and just did a great job.
I spoke for the returning of rights. Feminists have taken rights that do not belong to them - the rights of the father and the rights of the child. As a father myself, I became a dad when my daughter was conceived and my girls are just as much my girls and a part of me as they are of my wife. I am standing for equal rights and a small group of women have taken rights that do not belong them.
We sang several songs during the time - Amazing Grace, How Great Thou Art and How Great is our God. Hearing 3000 voices joining together in the street to worship God was unforgettable. There were a number of prayers led by speakers and times of prayer where everyone there got into groups and prayed. I am still overcome by the power of the church praying and worshipping together in unity.
I have to acknowledge the police too. They conducted themselves professionally and did a great job of keeping the intersection safe and keeping people where they were meant to be.
The event was on Channel 9 news too I just found out, showing footage of me stating that this Bill takes the rights of the father and the unborn child. AWESOME!!!
If you were there today please post a comment with your views on how it went today.
Added 6/10/08
Couple of things I want to add. Thankyou so much to the Sunbury churches stage and audio guys. They provided and set up and packed up all that gear yesterday for no charge. Thankyou.
Also a number of people have contacted me with varying crowd count figures ranging between three and five thousand. I am happy to say 3,000 as it was the police count and Peter Stokes from Saltshakers counted 3,000 and possibly a touch more.
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Back to www.mattsprotest.com
Today was the Prayer and Protest event and what a powerful event it was. The police counted 3000 people. There were a number of people from interstate and many from country Victoria, even from Mildura! There were people from many, many denominations - Catholics, Baptists, CRC, Anglican and so many more - what an awesome display of unity and how we Australians do not want this Bill.
I want thank everybody who was there. Your conduct was utterly respectful and your hearts for the rights of fathers and unborn children so obvious, your love for women sincere.
I would like to thank the pro-choice group as well. Thankyou for acknowledging my respect for your protest yesterday and not disturbing our gathering today. Maybe there is hope for an honorable and respectful fight yet
The time today was so good. A number of people spoke including MPs, all of them eloquently, passionately and respectfully - me included! Kirsten Jack, my sister and organiser of the event MC'ed the event and just did a great job.
I spoke for the returning of rights. Feminists have taken rights that do not belong to them - the rights of the father and the rights of the child. As a father myself, I became a dad when my daughter was conceived and my girls are just as much my girls and a part of me as they are of my wife. I am standing for equal rights and a small group of women have taken rights that do not belong them.
We sang several songs during the time - Amazing Grace, How Great Thou Art and How Great is our God. Hearing 3000 voices joining together in the street to worship God was unforgettable. There were a number of prayers led by speakers and times of prayer where everyone there got into groups and prayed. I am still overcome by the power of the church praying and worshipping together in unity.
I have to acknowledge the police too. They conducted themselves professionally and did a great job of keeping the intersection safe and keeping people where they were meant to be.
The event was on Channel 9 news too I just found out, showing footage of me stating that this Bill takes the rights of the father and the unborn child. AWESOME!!!
If you were there today please post a comment with your views on how it went today.
Added 6/10/08
Couple of things I want to add. Thankyou so much to the Sunbury churches stage and audio guys. They provided and set up and packed up all that gear yesterday for no charge. Thankyou.
Also a number of people have contacted me with varying crowd count figures ranging between three and five thousand. I am happy to say 3,000 as it was the police count and Peter Stokes from Saltshakers counted 3,000 and possibly a touch more.
Back to www.mattsprotest.com
Day 13, 4th October, 2008
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Well, the police at Parliament just told me there will be a pro-choice rally here this morning. Will let you all know how it goes...
Youth For Life processed around Parliament 3 times, remembering the children who have been aborted and protesting against the Bill. It was a very moving time with a buglist playing.
The pro-choice rally is at 1:45pm. The police asked me to move down a bit for the sake of safety so I did. I thought about staying in the middle, but just want to be respectful and peaceful and I know I would not like it if the pro-choice people set up a banner in the middle of our Prayer & Protest tomorrow, so I moved over a bit.
Well, well, well. That was an experience. The pro-choice group of about 120 people marched from the State Library down Burke St to the steps of Parliament House, chanting slogans. It was like an approaching storm
When they came into the intersection one of the group ran up and attacked our sign, kicking it off the frame. I heard many people who were not in the vicinity and not in the pro-choice crowd shout disapproval of this attack, but none from the pro-choice crowd. Thankfully the police stepped in and formed a protective wall around us or I really don't know what would have happened. There were 11 police around us and I am so grateful for their presence and professionalism.
I strictly instructed the people who were with me not to respond and we all stuck to that except for one undisciplined man who I told off twice in no uncertain tone. That really annoyed me as it was completely disrespectful to what I was trying to do, but stuff happens eh.
We didn't interfere with their protest and I actually moved out of their way. I hope they show the same grace and respect tomorrow.
The other thing that struck me was that if I organised a rally and as a result an opposing protest was attacked I would have apologised. We may be on opposite sides but there is no reason to treat each other maliciously or disrespectfully.
It was amazing some of the stuff that came out of the mouths of the speakers. They claimed that 80% of Australians were on their side. I have spent the last 13 days on the street talking with Australians every day and I know that this is not true. Most people I talk to are horrified by this Bill! I challenge them to produce independent results surveying a true cross-section of Australians after having them read the Bill.
They said tons of other stuff - the church is intent on preserving its power and is anti-life, that pro-life is trying to force women to have abortions in the back alleys, that the stance of the Catholic church with their hospitals proves that Church and State should be separate and that the State should take the hospitals from the Church with no compensation! From the platform they swore at us, called us bigots and much, much, much more.
Well, let them witness that we showed them respect and were peaceful and we shall do the same at the Prayer & Protest tomorrow.
Several of the pro-choice people came over to "talk". I ended up asking the police to come over and they were very helpful in asking them to leave me alone. They do a great job those guys.
A bus went around the corner and took out the lamp post!
Back to www.mattsprotest.com
Well, the police at Parliament just told me there will be a pro-choice rally here this morning. Will let you all know how it goes...
Youth For Life processed around Parliament 3 times, remembering the children who have been aborted and protesting against the Bill. It was a very moving time with a buglist playing.
The pro-choice rally is at 1:45pm. The police asked me to move down a bit for the sake of safety so I did. I thought about staying in the middle, but just want to be respectful and peaceful and I know I would not like it if the pro-choice people set up a banner in the middle of our Prayer & Protest tomorrow, so I moved over a bit.
Well, well, well. That was an experience. The pro-choice group of about 120 people marched from the State Library down Burke St to the steps of Parliament House, chanting slogans. It was like an approaching storm
When they came into the intersection one of the group ran up and attacked our sign, kicking it off the frame. I heard many people who were not in the vicinity and not in the pro-choice crowd shout disapproval of this attack, but none from the pro-choice crowd. Thankfully the police stepped in and formed a protective wall around us or I really don't know what would have happened. There were 11 police around us and I am so grateful for their presence and professionalism.
I strictly instructed the people who were with me not to respond and we all stuck to that except for one undisciplined man who I told off twice in no uncertain tone. That really annoyed me as it was completely disrespectful to what I was trying to do, but stuff happens eh.
We didn't interfere with their protest and I actually moved out of their way. I hope they show the same grace and respect tomorrow.
The other thing that struck me was that if I organised a rally and as a result an opposing protest was attacked I would have apologised. We may be on opposite sides but there is no reason to treat each other maliciously or disrespectfully.
It was amazing some of the stuff that came out of the mouths of the speakers. They claimed that 80% of Australians were on their side. I have spent the last 13 days on the street talking with Australians every day and I know that this is not true. Most people I talk to are horrified by this Bill! I challenge them to produce independent results surveying a true cross-section of Australians after having them read the Bill.
They said tons of other stuff - the church is intent on preserving its power and is anti-life, that pro-life is trying to force women to have abortions in the back alleys, that the stance of the Catholic church with their hospitals proves that Church and State should be separate and that the State should take the hospitals from the Church with no compensation! From the platform they swore at us, called us bigots and much, much, much more.
Well, let them witness that we showed them respect and were peaceful and we shall do the same at the Prayer & Protest tomorrow.
Several of the pro-choice people came over to "talk". I ended up asking the police to come over and they were very helpful in asking them to leave me alone. They do a great job those guys.
A bus went around the corner and took out the lamp post!
Back to www.mattsprotest.com