Home sick listening to the Abortion Debate in Parliament...

And it is probably making me sicker.

They have just broken for tea after seven speakers, and so far the only one speaking against the bill was John Vogels, Liberal MLC for the Western Victoria Region.

The other speakers, that I can remember, included Candy Broad (Labor), Andrea Coote (Lib), Peter Hall (Nat), Colleen Hartland (Green), Wendy Lovell (Lib) and Martin Pakula (Labor).

The one thing that I will say is that the ancient skill of rhetoric and persuasion seems to be in short supply in today's political halls. Certainly, although he spoke passionately, Mr Vogels did not speak well. Wendy Lovell was very average. Ms Coote, Mr Pakula and Ms Hartland were strong and passionate. Ms Coote especially showed very good argumentative skills.

They have had a few shots at the Church, and at Archbishop Hart. Ms Coote made a special point of her protestant upbringing which allowed that it was the right of the individual to make ethical decisions without coercion from ecclesiastical or government authority. (Odd that that doesn't apply to murder or speeding...)

The other thing that is obvious is that strident, rude, obnoxious and terrorist tactics on the part of some of the pro-life lobby have been counter-productive. As we knew they would be.

The debate will start again at 8pm tonight. You can listen in at: http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/hansard/live/