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Ring 1800 646 552 now. ~Catholic Church 1lr Insurances Limited SRD3788/EUR!A The Rules From Tories at Prayer Colin Colahan An Introduction to the to Socialists at Mass A Portrait Australian Constitutions GARRY KINNAN£ A History of St Peter's, Eastern Hill JOHN WAUGH Known as a brilliant pupil of the painter COLIN HOLDEN Max Meldrum and for the still unsolved This book explain s in simple, The history of an Anglican Church with murder of his girlfriend, Mollie Dean , in understandable terms the basis of the a difference- promoting a highly 1930, Colin Colahan was a witty, Australian Constitution, the federal traditional liturgy while, at times, charming, talented artist. This intimate system and the State constitutions. encouraging its congregation to a s and beautifully illustrated portrait Paperback 136 pp $9.95 erious study of socialism and other restores his life and work to its rightful political ideologies. St. Peters has also place in the history of Australian art. Poverty Law had a fascinati ngly eclectic mix of clergy. Hardback 124 pp $45.00 Hardback 352 pp $49.95 and Social Change Australian Moments The Story of the East Coast Country A 1997 Diary Fitzroy Legal Service A North Queensland Dreaming Celebrates MUP's contribution to JOHN CHESTERMAN ALAN FROST Australian literature by reproducing Chesterman traces the evolution of the extracts from some of its many books Fitzroy Legal Service from a thorn in the East Coast Country beautifully evokes published since 1922. In addition, each side of the legal profession to a valued the landscape, history and culture of far daily entry features an important or contributor to legal debate and a northern Queensland. Through this inspiring event from our history. An powerful advocate of pragmatic reform. sensitive and multilayered text, Alan attractive desk companion and a Frost succeeds in creating a mythology An entertaining and perceptive account fascinating read, Australian Moments of place in a way that is unique in brings to life the events and people who of the forces that have prompted legal Australian writing. reform in Australia from the early 1970s. shaped our history- every day. Paperback 296 pp $24.95 Paperback 296 pp $24.95 Hardback 112 pp $19.95 2 EUREKA STREET • O cTOBER 1996 Volume 6 Number 8 October 1996 A magazine of public affairs, the arts and theology 30 THE MANNIX MEMORIAL LECTURE CoNTENTS Patrick Dodson parallels the lives of Daniel Mannix and Paddy Djiagween. 4 36 COMMENT OPERA Bruce Williams is not carried away by either 7 The Flying Dutchman or The Two CAPITAL LETTER Executioners. 8 38 LETTERS BOOKS Peter Craven contrasts Conversations at 11 Curlow Creek and Night Letters; David VIEWPOINT McCooey reviews Peter Porter's Oxford Brian Toohey in the Lyons' den. Book of Modern Australian Verse (p41); Peter Steele investigates Mangu el's A 14 History of Reading (p46); Margaret Coffey JUSTICE DOESN'T PAY contemplates Gerard Windsor's Heaven There are lawyers aplenty, but will they Where The Bachelors Sit (p49); Matthew take your brief, asks Moira Rayner. Ricketson reviews Granta 53: News and Stuart Littlemore's The Media and Me (pSO); 15 Max T eichmann revisits The Regeneration ARCHIMEDES Trilogy (p52). 16 39 THIS MAN IS NO DONKEY POETRY Shane Maloney goes postmodern in Nijinsky's Leap and Sore At Heart by Peter Turkey. Porter (p48); A Threshold For My Son by Chris Wallace-Crabbe (p43); Chemistry by Peter Goldsworthy (p44). Cover: Patrick Dodson, 22 Chairpers on of the C ouncil AFTER THE HONEYMOON for Aboriginal Reconciliation, Jon Greenaway interviews the ANC's Mam 54 in front of the Clifton Lydia Kompe-Ngwenya. GET AJOB Pugh Portrait of Archbishop Geoffrey Milne on the apprenticeship of Daniel Mannix, in the actors. Newman College Dining Room, 24 Melbourne. OBITUARY James Griffin remembers Bishop Gregory 56 Photograph by Greg Scullin. Singkai. FLASH IN THE PAN Cover design by Reviews of the films Independence Day, Siobhan Jackson. 25 Courage Under Fire, The Hunchback of Photographs pp3, 22, 30, 33, BORDERLINE CASES Notre Dame, The Phantom and The 36, 49 by Greg Scullin. Visitors. Graphics pp6, 12· 13, 14, 38 Andrew Hamilton argues the case for East by Siobhan Jackson. Timorese asylum-seekers. Cartoon p 11 by Peter Fraser. 58 Photograph p41 WATCHING BRIEF by Bill Thomas. 29 Cartoon p57 by Pat Campbell. IN MEMORIAM Robert Crotty pays tribute to Jerome 59 Eureka Street magazine Crowe cr. SPECIFIC LEVITY Jesuit Publications PO Box 553 V OLUME 6 NUMBER 8 • EUREKA STREET 3 EUAI:-KA STAI:-ET C oMMENT A magazine of public affairs, the arts BILL UREN and theology Publisher Michael Kelly SJ The Law and Editor Morag Fraser Consulting editor Michael McGirr SJ abortion Assistant editor Jon Greenaway eeGNCNTh oe MownoN HA" nADmONACe> fouod Httle Production assistants: 0 over which to rejoice in the 1973 decision, Roe v Wade, in Paul Fyfe SJ, Juliette Hughes, the United States. Chris Jenkins SJ, Siobhan Jackson, In the first trimester of pregnancy, all government Scott Howard authorities were forbidden to intervene in the decision to Contributing editors abort. In the second trimester, the Constitution of the United Adelaide: Greg O'Kelly SJ States was interpreted to say that a governmental interest Brisbane: Ian Howells SJ in abortion might be acknowledged, but only to a very limited Perth: Dean Moore degree. Recognising that abortion after the third month had Sydney: Edmund Campion, Gerard Windsor increased hazards for the pregnant woman, the state's citizen, European correspondent: Damien Simonis the Constitution permitted the government to require that late abortions be performed only within hospitals or other Editorial board facilities licensed to perform abortions. Peter L'Estrange SJ (chair), It was only in the third and final phase of pregnancy Margaret Coady, Margaret Coffey, that the Constitution was interpreted to accord any recog­ Valda M. Ward RSM, Trevor Hales, nition to the interests of the unborn. When this stage was Marie Joyce, Kevin McDonald, reached, the Constitution permitted the state to protect the Jane Kelly IBVM, 'potential life' against the unrestricted liberty of the carrier Peter Steele SJ, Bill Uren SJ of the child. But even in this trimester the woman had the Business manager: Sylvana Scannapiego liberty to abort the child if her health-defined in terms of Advertising representative: Ken Head the World Health Organisation's 'well-being'-required it. Patrons Although there is little apparent solace for opponents Eureka Street gratefully acknowledges the of abortion in these distinctions, there may yet be some, support of Colin and Angela Carter; the and that not only in the developmental recognition of the trustees of the estate of Miss M. Condon; interests of the unborn child. The Roe v Wade interpreta­ Denis Cullity AO; W.P. & M.W. Gurry; tions may at least be construed as an attempt to adjudicate a Geoff Hill and Janine Perrett; conflict of interests-that the state and the community also the Roche family. has an interest in the procedure, as well as the woman requesting abortion. It is not simply 'a woman's right to Eurelw Street magazine, ISSN I 036-1758, choose', even though the interests of other members of the Australia Post Print Post approved community have very little practical effect during the first pp349181 /003 14 two trimesters of pregnancy. There is, nonetheless, the is published ten times a year recognition that restrictions on abortion at least have to be by Eureka Street Magazine Pty Ltd, considered, and, in some instances, to be enforced-in the 300 Victoria Street, Richmond, Victoria 3121 second trimester as regards place, in the third trimester as Tel: 03 9427 7311 Fax: 03 9428 4450 requiring the mother to demonstrate that there were some e-mail: [email protected] reasons, 'physical, emotional, psychological, and the Responsibility for editorial content is accepted by woman's age-relevant to [her] well-being', why the proce­ Michael Kelly, 300 Victoria Street, Richmond. dure should be carried out. Printed by Doran Printing, It would seem that a similar spirit, at least to some 46 Industrial Drive, Braesidc VIC 3195. degree, and perhaps to an even greater degree, animated the ©Jesuit Publications 1996. original decisions of the judges, Menhennit and Levine, in Unsolicited manuscripts, including poetry and fiction, will be returned only if accompanied by a their corresponding Australian precedents, R v Davidson stamped, self-addressed envelope. Requests for (1969) and R v W aid ( 1971). Abortion was seen from a social permission to reprint material from the magazine point of view as at least very regrettable, if not abhorrent, should be addressed in writing to: and this at all stages of the pregnancy. The petitioner, there­ The editor, Eureka Street magazine, fore, must demonstrate some circumstance or condition why PO Box 553, Richmond VIC 3 121. this procedure should take place. These grounds have been 4 EUREKA STREET • O cTOBER 1996 interpreted very broadly to give doctors discretion to decide mother, family or child that could have been foreseen at the whether a woman may have an abortion, by allowing it only time of the advice could give grounds for litigation.