Australian overseas aid money could be spent advising women in developing countries about abortion, under a proposal being considered by the federal government.  

Fairfax newspapers said today a report prepared by a large, all-party group of MPs early last year was shelved by the Howard government before the election on fears of a conservative backlash. 

But the chairman of the group, West Australian Liberal MP Mal Washer, said yesterday guidelines preventing AusAid from disseminating abortion information should be overturned because the ban was contributing to the deaths of women in many countries.  

There are bans on aid money also being used for some types of contraception. The regulations date back to the 1990s, when former Tasmanian independent senator Brian Harradine used the balance of power he held to influence the Howard government on some social issues, Dr Washer said. Senator Harradine retired in June 2005.  

Dr Washer told Fairfax: "I don't like abortion, but it is ridiculous that we can't give any advice to women overseas about abortion at a time when the government funds abortion advice to women in this country. It smacks of misogyny and stupidity."  

The MPs' report said guidelines preventing Australian aid from being used to advise women on abortion were "cruel and illogical" and effectively encouraged unsafe illegal abortions, which were responsible for 13 per cent of all maternal deaths globally.  

A spokesman for Foreign Minister Stephen Smith confirmed to the newspaper the government was considering the report. 

Source: AAP Newsfeed, 8 Jan 2008