THANK YOU TO (MOST OF) THE WOMEN OF THE SENATE

In 1996 the women members of the Australian Parliament sat on their hands and looked the other way when the Senator Brian Harradine inspired bill to ban the drug RU486 was passed into law. Ten years later – what a different, and welcome, outcome. The women of the Senate yesterday banded together (all but three of them) to vote in favour of the lifting of the Minister for Health’s veto over the importation of the drug. This is not to belittle or under-appreciate the efforts of the male Senators who also voted to lift the ban. But the cross party effort of the women in the Senate was what we put women in parliament for – to protect the interests of women. They delivered yesterday in spades. Of the 28 women Senators, 25 voted to lift the ban. Thank you to all those who voted in favour. Let’s hope their sisters (and brothers) in the House of Representatives follow suit when they have their opportunity to vote on the issue next week.