Seven News and Sunrise have repeated a false claim that pro-choice activists campaigning in favour of the New South Wales abortion legislation chanted “put the foetus in the bin” as supporters and opponents of the bill clashed in Sydney on Saturday.
The actual words were “put the bigots in the bin”, but Sunrise co-hosts David Koch and Samantha Armytage allowed Barnaby Joyce to repeat the claim unchallenged on Monday morning in a live interview on the program.
“When we have the pro-side walking down the street saying ‘we will fight we will win throw the foetus in the bin’, it just feels evil,” the former National party leader said. “We have got to do something to temper this because it’s so vitally important that the public that has concerns for this is respected.”
Supporters from both sides of the abortion debate have faced off in a loud and angry protest in the heart of the CBD. The confrontation sparked as pressure grows over the state's controversial abortion bill which returns to Parliament this week. @sarinanastasi #nswpol #7NEWS pic.twitter.com/eTuBvMXvCl
— 7NEWS Sydney (@7NewsSydney) September 14, 2019
Hours after widespread reports the chant did not say “foetus” Joyce was still spreading the misinformation on his Facebook page.
This article includes content provided by Facebook. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. To view this content, click 'Allow and continue'.
The NSW minister for finance and small business, Damien Tudehope, also repeated the false assertion, originally made on Twitter by a group called Life Choice Australia, at an incendiary anti-abortion rally on Sunday. On the group’s Facebook page the video has been commented on more than 770 times. Most of the comments attack the pro-choice lobby.
Sinéad Canning, the campaign manager of the Pro-Choice Alliance, which organised the Saturday rally, confirmed the chant was “bigots” not “foetus”. Canning said “put the bigots in the bin” was a well known chant used in the marriage equality debate.
Quick GuideAbortion in Australia
Show
Abortion law in Australia varies from state to state.
New South Wales
New South Wales is the last state to decriminalise terminations, though it remains in the criminal code in South Australia and Western Australia in some form. Abortion has been a criminal offence in New South Wales since 1900, and unlawfully procuring an abortion is punishable by up to 10 years' imprisonment. Doctors are able to conduct abortions if they believe the pregnancy is a risk to a woman’s physical or mental health, and a common law precedent set in 1971 means social and economic factors may also be taken into consideration. Laws before the NSW parliament would make abortion legal on request up to 22 weeks, and with the approval of two doctors beyond that.
Queensland
The NSW legislation is based off the bill that passed in Queensland last year. Abortion is legal until 22 weeks gestation, and thereafter with the approval of two doctors.
Victoria
Legal to 24 weeks and then after 24 weeks with two doctors’ approval.
ACT
Legal. Until last year, only a registered medical practitioner could carry out the procedure in an approved facility. However a change to ACT law last year now allows general practitioners to prescribe abortion drugs such as MS‑2 Step.
South Australia
Legal up to 28 weeks but only if two doctors agree that a woman’s physical and/or mental health is endangered by pregnancy, or for serious foetal abnormality. Unlawful abortion remains a crime. Terminations must be performed in a "prescribed hospital".
Western Australia
Legal up to 20 weeks but women must be given the opportunity to participate in counselling before a termination can be performed. Teenage girls under 16 require a parent to be informed. After 20 weeks, terminations become much more difficult to access. A woman must receive approval from two doctors from a statutory panel of six who agree the woman, or her foetus, has a "severe medical condition" that justifies the procedure.
Tasmania
Lawful on request up to 16 weeks, and beyond that point with the agreement of two doctors.
Northern Territory
Legal to 14 weeks with one doctor's approval, and after that to 23 weeks with an additional doctor. Beyond 23 weeks, abortions cannot be performed unless it is performed to save a pregnant person's life.
“I am not shocked the claim came from Life Choice Australia, who are hosting the video on Facebook and Twitter, but I am really disappointed in media who are uncritically spreading it around, broadcasting it, either on TV or radio or in articles online,” Canning told Guardian Australia.
“I have had young women on the phone to me crying their eyes out because they can’t believe their words are being completely misconstrued and lied about in the media.
“I am pretty incensed that they are taking the word of anti-abortion groups and reporting on them without speaking to us. We have made complaints and they haven’t come back to us.”
BREAKING – Pro-abortion activists yell “put the foetus in the bin” on the streets of Sydney. #nswpol #standforlife #abortionbill #prolife pic.twitter.com/Vr47BvmI8d
— LifeChoice Australia (@LifeChoiceAu) September 14, 2019
A Seven News bulletin displaying the words was still online on Monday, despite repeated attempts by social media users to correct the claim.
Canning said SBS had removed the Life Choice video with the false claim which it had embedded on its news story.
The fake news spread on far right websites such as Michael Smith News, where commenters labelled the chant disgusting.
One commenter said: “And these are probably the same people who say we need to be more compassionate to refugees (i.e. country shoppers), etc. They certainly aren’t showing any compassion towards the innocent and defenceless babies that are growing and developing in the mother’s womb.”
Seven News declined to comment.
Life Choice Australia did not respond to a request for comment, but maintained in a statement to 10Daily that “foetus” was the word used. It said that even if the pro-choice advocates had used the word “bigot”, it was a threat that was “highly offensive” and “completely unacceptable”.
just got a statement from Life Choice, the group who shared the initial video: they're sticking by the "fetus" claim, but say even if it WAS "bigots", that would be a "threat" of violence https://t.co/K8tRJtUh7t pic.twitter.com/h9WNmPKHMG
— Josh Butler (@JoshButler) September 16, 2019
At Sunday’s rally, also addressed by the former prime minister Tony Abbott, Joyce described the historic bill removing abortion from the New South Wales criminal code as “the slavery debate of our time”.
The rally was attended by several thousand people protesting against the Reproductive Healthcare Reform bill in Sydney’s Hyde park.
Religious leaders, rightwing MPs and conservative media commentators have mounted a concerted campaign to derail the legislation ahead of the vote. Opponents claim the bill will allow so-called gender or sex selection and abortion “on demand” up until birth.