Abortion stand challenged

Press, 24 May 1985, Page 6

Abortion stand challenged

NZPA-AAP Brisbane The doctor who opened the first abortion clinic in the southern hemisphere arrived in Queensland yesterday to open a temporary clinic in Brisbane.

Dr Bertram Wainer, who established the Fertility Control Clinic, in Melbourne, said he was in Brisbane to plan a political campaign against the Queensland Government over its anti-abortion stand. “I have taken temporary leave of absence from my practice for six weeks and if any woman comes to me for a termination and it’s within the law I will do it,”

Dr Wainer said. His action comes after police raids on Monday on two abortion clinics in Townsville and Brisbane.

The police seized at least 47,000 case records of patients from the clinics of Dr Peter Bayliss, in Brisbane, and Dr David Grundman, in Townsville. Both doctors have been charged with conspiring with persons unknown to procure miscarriages by force.

Dr Wainer is an associate of both doctors. Dr Bayliss and he were partners in Melbourne and Dr Grundman was a trainee at the Melbourne clinic.

“With this strange practice of charging the doctors with conspiracy, a lot of women will be too terrified to go to Dr Bayliss’ clinic,” Dr Wainer said. “I don’t want them being driven to backyard abortionists,” he said.

Dr Bayliss has continued practising at his Greenslopes clinic. The Queensland branch president of the Australian Medical Association, Dr Lloyd Toft, said the Attor-ney-General, Mr Neville Harper, had assured him that the medical records seized would remain confidential.