The narrow defeat of Liberal MP Ben Hood’s Live Birth bill this week has underscored a critical need: South Australia needs Family First MPs in Parliament to ensure that the sanctity of life is upheld in key votes like this one.
The bill, which aimed to ban the lethal injection of babies post-28 weeks and instead require late-term abortions to result in live births for adoption, was defeated by just one vote.
That single vote has reinforced how precarious the protection of life is under the current political landscape — and how urgent it is to elect pro-life candidates who will stand firm in Parliament.
Watch Lyle Shelton’s interview with Ben Hood on ADH TV
Family First strongly supported Ben Hood’s bill, which would have provided a compassionate and life-affirming alternative for babies who have reached viability.
These are children who, in many cases, could survive outside the womb and lead healthy lives.
Yet, despite the clear moral imperative, the bill fell victim to a Parliament that remains indifferent, if not hostile, to the protection of unborn life.
The debate in South Australia's upper house revealed just how divided the major parties are on the issue of life — and how essential it is for Family First to gain representation.
Liberal MLC Ben Hood, who introduced the bill, made the case that this was about "striking a balance" between a woman's autonomy and the right of a viable baby to live.
He spoke of the need for a compassionate response, saying, "This bill is intended to strike a balance between respecting a woman's right to terminate a pregnancy while protecting the life of a baby that would almost certainly survive outside of the womb."
While some MPs echoed this call for compassion, many others dismissed the bill outright.
Attorney-General Kyam Maher went so far as to accuse Hood of using the bill to "further his political career," avoiding a serious discussion of the ethical implications at stake.
SA Best MLC Connie Bonaros criticised the bill, accusing pro-life advocates of spreading "misinformation," and reduced the issue to a political talking point.
Family First stands in stark contrast to this kind of dismissive attitude.
We recognise that protecting life is not a political game, but a moral duty.
This week’s vote has shown that without strong pro-life voices in Parliament, measures like the Live Birth bill will continue to be marginalised, and the lives of vulnerable children will be disregarded.
This is why Family First is urgently calling for voters to support pro-life candidates in the 2026 election.
Every vote counts, and without a robust presence in Parliament, we will continue to see these razor-thin margins in key decisions that affect life and death.