News Archive September 2001

13 September 2001

US events: The text of the address given by President Bush to the US nation, regarding the tragic events caused by terrorist acts, is available by clicking here - as well as a Prayer from the National Prayer Committee in the USA. (Source - American Family Association)

12 September 2001

Today’s tragic events, when terrorists attacked and destroyed US buildings - the World Trade Centre in New York and The Pentagon in Washington DC - or thousands of people, have deeply saddened us all. The loss of life and liberty is shocking in its intensity, with the images broadcast into our lounge rooms and in our newspapers.

We pray for all the families who have been affected and who have lost loved ones. We also pray for the US President, George W. Bush, that he will have God   s wisdom and courage as his government deals with this situation. Click here to go to our page listing national and overseas newspapers so you can read the latest reports as they come to hand.

What factors influence a pregnant teenager?
The largest survey into teenage pregnancy has found that pregnant teenage girls are more likely to listen to their boyfriends decide whether to have the baby or have an abortion.
However, the survey of 23,000 girls, by PhD student Ann Evans, found that the family can also influence the girl’s decision. Of these girls, 12,000 chose to have an abortion.
The study found that they are more likely to have an abortion if their mother or sister had previously had an abortion, and if the topic was openly talked about within the family.
Of the girls , 21 per cent of their mothers had also had an abortion - compared to 10 per cent of the mothers of girls who chose to have the baby.
The ,000 girls who chose to have the baby, were mostly supported by after the decision was made.
Click here for the full article from The Australian, written by Vanessa Walker, social affairs writer. (6 Sept 2001)

IVF in High Court: The High Court of Australia is currently hearing the case brought by the Catholic Bishops contesting the decision by Justice Sundberg in the Federal Court last year which allowed single women in Victoria to have access to IVF treatments. government is also appearing in the High Court, since the ruling found that the Federal Sex Discrimination Act prohibited such discrimination on the basis of marital status. Click here for a story from The Age.

4 September 2001 - John Anderson Supports Families

Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson (Nat) has made a strong statement supporting families. He said that getting the nation   s families back on track is more important to society   s future than a smooth-running economy. He said a breakdown in traditional family relationships is to blame for an upsurge in domestic violence. Mr Anderson invited national and community leaders to join his campaign to highlight the damage being done by a widespread failure of parents to love and respect their children.The Australian 4/9/2001

ACTION:

Send a message to John Anderson, congratulating him on putting the family on the political agenda in this nation. Click here to go to his Home page and send him a message - select "Feedback".

Bullying: New Australian research, by the Centre for Adolescent Health in Melbourne, Australia, has found that students who have been bullied are more likely to be depressed a year later. This to girls. After surveying more than 2600 girls, they found that more than half had been bullied. Victims of bullying were more than twice as likely as other teens to report being depressed a year later. The Age, 3/9/2001.

‘Right to die’ Ruling in the UK: A woman in the UK with motor neurone disease has won the first round in a court battle to be allowed to die. She is campaigning in the courts believes that her husband years should have the right to help her die. A High Court judge has allowed her to challenge the Director of Public Prosecution’s decision to refuse to rule out taking action against her husband if he helps her die. The Weekend Australian Sept 1-2, 2001

Adoption by homosexuals: A US Federal Court has upheld a Florida law banning homosexuals from adopting children. This is the first time a US Federal Court judge has ruled on this issue. Florida implemented this law in 1977; it was challenged by four homosexual men. The judge ruled that Florida was within its rights to say that only heterosexual couples could adopt children. The Weekend Australian /9/2001