My analysis of the petition conducted at a Perth school. It reveals Government misunderstanding of the facts.

Dear ______________________ March 7 1998

I am forwarding a copy of a petition that some of the students from __________ College have had an opportunity to sign.

Please note, that the so-called objective poll stating that 81% of Western Australians now support decriminalising Abortion appears ridiculous to educated minds. I, and over 200 people I have spoken to, have never been surveyed with regards to our opinion. Neither have we:

• been told all the facts regarding the abortion debate
• been shown pictures of aborted babies
• had all the different abortion procedures outlined in detail
• had explained why we are forced to fund abortions through the Medicare Levy
• Why the rights of the mother to plan her life outweighs the right of the child to even have a life

Where do politicians obtain their results? Who was surveyed? Where they told about the different abortion procedures and the other extreme abuses that occur and how rich doctors are becoming as a result of their "job"?

Furthermore, my own poll has revealed that 58% of the year 8, 9 and 12 students surveyed are opposed to abortion. 12 of my 17 year 12 students (c70%) were opposed to changing the law. (Only the results for one year level surveyed produced less than 50% support for maintaining the right to life of the unborn.) This result is indicative of the problems associated with accepting the 81% result quoted to me by Ms. Warnock.

Yours sincerely