Countering Archbishop Comensoli’s ‘culture of death’ claim

Editor’s note: If you would like to submit a letter for possible publication, please email it to editor@rationalist.com.au. See our Publishing Guideline   Dear Editor, Archbishop Comensoli asks whether politicians who support publicly funded abortion will also fund the alternatives (‘Comensoli challenges parties to fund alternatives to abortion’, Catholic Weekly, 22 October 2026). It's a fair question. My answer is: yes. We should be doing both. As a nurse and community independent candidate for Eastern Victoria, I believe healthcare should be accessible, compassionate and free from judgement. Women deserve access to safe reproductive healthcare, including abortion. They also deserve properly funded maternity services, affordable housing, financial security and practical support if they choose to continue a pregnancy. Likewise, people approaching the end of life deserve excellent palliative care, dignity and compassion, alongside the right to make informed decisions about their own healthcare within the law. I respectfully reject the suggestion that supporting these choices amounts to promoting a "culture of death". I respect the Archbishop's right to express his religious convictions, just as I respect the right of every Victorian to hold their own beliefs. But, in a diverse society, public policy must serve everyone, regardless of faith. Compassion isn't about limiting choices. It's about ensuring that people have genuine choices, the support to make them, and dignity ...