AAP General News (Australia)
02-18-2005
Fed: Catholic pregnancy counselling gets nearly $1m in fed funds
A Senate committee has heard that Catholic Church-run pregnancy counselling services
received almost $1 million in federal funding this year.
The revelation comes amid an ongoing fiery political debate over whether access to
abortions should be restricted.
Department of Health and Ageing officials have told a Senate estimates committee more
than $15 million of Commonwealth money is spent annually on family planning organisations
in Australia.
Of that, $918,800 was given in 2004/05 to the Australian Episcopal Conference of the
Roman Catholic Church.
The sum is eight times higher than that provided to the secular, non-directive immigrant
women's health counselling and referral service Working Women's Health.
AAP RTV kbw/sb/jv/psm/
KEYWORD: ABORTION (CANBERRA)
2005 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.
