Senator for the Democrats Lyn Allison is not surprised in the least.
 
“The response line was never really taken up by woman with unwanted pregnancies,’’ Senator Allison said.

“Women in this situation are more likely to seek advice from their GP in order to make up their mind rather then doing it over the phone.”

University of Melbourne academic and author, Dr Leslie Cannold, believes it is the partisan nature of the helpline that has resulted in its failure.

“When the help line was first introduced, the press surrounding it described it as a way to reduce the abortion rate,” Dr Cannold said.

“There are telltale signs that the help line is biased against termination. Unlike any other government help line they won't refer you and there are cases of girls calling up who are told to go and Google their nearest abortion clinic.

“The operation is funded completely be our tax dollars and it doesn't help girls to make decisions on rational grounds,” she added.

Why then has this project been continued despite its obvious faults? According to Dr Cannold, that is the $24 million dollar question.

“The new treasurer is trying to reduce the federal budget in any way that she can and its clear the helpline has been a performance monstrosity causing huge inefficiencies,” she said.

In Senator Allison’s view, these badly needed funds should be injected elsewhere.

“These funds should be channeled into educating more young people who are sexually active about STDs and poor use of contraception. There should be an emphasis on all types of reproductive health not only pregnancy,” she said.
 
There is a second prong to this policy which includes changes to Medicare legislation, whereby a new code has been created under which prenatal services can be claimed.

“It seems strange that this was put under a separate code, and now the item is underused as doctors don’t need it. They are continuing to bill the service as if it were a regular consultation.

“This is important as it is an invasion of privacy. Parents are able to look up their children's Medicare history online and find out what treatments they have had relatively easily,” Dr Cannold said.

Senator Allison agrees and says it could cause more problems then it solves.

"This is problematic for a girl who is pregnant and doesn't want anyone to know.

“You don't know what sort of situation the girl is in, she could come from a family where there has been an incestuous relationship or sexual abuse," Senator Allison said.

“There are also circumstances where a girls parents are Muslim and she fears for her life.”

Dr Cannold is concerned that in Australia both Liberal and Labor parties are predominantly anti-abortion.

“The helpline is part of the ‘lunar right’ agenda where women’s best interests are put aside and the government tries to control women,” she said.

“God is all the way through the Labor and Liberal parties to the detriment of women.

“There is a huge undertone of religiously based views of contraception and abortion in the Australian government and that is not the way a liberal democracy should be,” Dr Cannold said.

Senator Allison has been to a number of abortion clinics and says the negative rumors surrounding them are misleading.

“All the women are counseled before they go into surgery as it is not in the doctor's best interests to operate on someone who will regret it later.

“Those apposed to abortion will peddle all sorts of ideas such as that they are out to get peoples money, which is absolute nonsense.

“They are no different to any other doctors and they are humane and committed” she said.

For Senator Allison it is all about choice.

“You can't force a woman to have children if they don’t want to. If they are forced there will simply be more woman dying from unsafe illegal abortions.”