Recall Theophanous to pass liberal IVF Law????

God moves in mysterious ways his wonders to perform. As does the Brumby Government of Victoria.

The story in today's edition of The Age "Brumby fights for IVF law" suggests that the Victorian Government's bill to liberalise IVF laws to give single women and lesbians access to IVF technology could fail in the Legislative Council - unless Mr Theophanous (who voluntarily stepped down while fighting accusations of rape) is recalled to support the bill.

The article notes:

Mr Theophanous has sometimes voted against socially progressive laws — such as abortion reform — but Labor sources say he is likely to vote as directed if he is recalled.

Which raises more questions than I can possibly do justice to here.

1) Isn't the Government saying elsewhere that this is a "conscience vote"? How then can Mr Theophanous be "directed" to vote in a particular way?

2) Isn't this just a little bit cynical? How can the Government hold the high ground with regard to due process and justice when they recall to service a man who has been accused of rape to support a bill for "rights" of women? (In saying this, I do not in any way judge the guilt or otherwise of Mr Theophanous, for whom I have a great deal of sympathy about the way the media has treated this man who is still one of our democratically elected representatives in the government).

3) How can they be sure that Mr Theophanous - given his voting record - would agree to support the bill?

4) What is going on when morally questionable tactics are resorted to to press thorugh what is already a morally controversial law in our society?

I hope Mr Theophanous refuses. That may or may not "kill the bill", but one can only hope and pray.