Northern Territory Parliament will introduce laws to decriminalise medical abortions next week, and one independent member is unhappy about it. He has issued a press release seemingly addressed to foetuses. Gerry Wood’s presser, which includes a header with 1990s era clip art of chickens hatching out of eggs, spends many lines talking to the unborn:

“Gerry Wood, Independent Member for Nelson, says today is not a good day if you were just starting out on your life journey but not yet born.

Why, because the Labor Government has introduced a Bill without consulting you which will make your chances of reaching your full potential as a fully grown human being at least 1:4. That is approximately the ratio of abortions to live births in the Territory.

Gerry says you don’t get a mention in the Bill unless that’s what the Government is referring to when it says ‘termination of pregnancy’ – I think they are referring to your termination! Not very nice of them.

But Gerry says you will not be forgotten and we will fight for your rights as a member of our human race, the Northern Territory and Australia to have the right to live and grow up and perhaps be our next leader, or doctor, or teacher, or scientist, or mother and father, or footballer, etc, etc,”

The footer of the press release is in Latin and reads “Cessi foro gallinarum sed surgo” which an amateur translator tells us means something along the lines of ” Yield to the marketplace of chickens, but rise up”. If you know a better translation, drop us a line.