6th Oct 2008 5:00pm

The Melbourne Campus (St. Patrick's) will host a public forum exploring issues of conscientious objection in the Victorian Abortion Reform Bill, moderated by Vice-Chancellor Professor Greg Craven next Monday, 6 October 2008 from 5pm to 6.30pm in the Mercy Lecture Theatre.

“Conscientious objection – A right for all health professionals” will feature notable academics who will discuss conscientious objection from professional, philosophical, legal and ethical perspectives. The forum will examine the implications of this issue in clinical practice and for Victorian health generally.

Forum speakers include:

Professor Frank Brennan on “Human Rights Law and Freedom of Conscience”
Professor Brennan is Professor of Law in the Institute of Legal Studies at the Australian Catholic University and a nationally recognised human rights commentator.

Associate Professor Nicholas Tonti-Filippini on “Ethics and Professional Conscience”
Associate Professor Tonti-Filippini is Associate Dean of the John Paul II Institute for Marriage and Family in Melbourne and a bioethicist and consultant on health ethics at a state and federal level.

Dr Helen McCabe on “The Health Professional Context on Conscientious Objection”
Dr. McCabe is a research associate at the Plunkett Centre for Health Care Ethics and is a registered nurse.