Legal A couple in Australia have been awarded damages for having a healthy baby. Sounds ludicrous, but here the detail is important. Two months before little Nicholas was conceived, his mum had a contraceptive device fitted because they already had two kids and sensibly knew that to have any more would create a financial burdan on a family already stretched by the opening of a new business. A service was bought, it failed and it cause undue stress. Seems like a fair case to me. So I'm sure the couple are really pleased that their country's Prime Minister is condemning them:
"Mr Anderson said the decision to award Brisbane couple Craig and Kerry Melchior $105,249 for the cost of raising their son Jordan, conceived after a failed sterilisation, was a further sign of a trend in society to view children as "consumer durables there for our pleasure - rather like an expensive fridge or new DVD player".
He doesn't seem to have taken into account that there could have been an abortion, the financial loss commuted. His attitude seems to be mistakes happen. But the couple took the decision to keep the child, and now that it's here and were just looking for help in looking after this new life. Just to be a bit arch, could you imagine Tony Blair commenting on a story in this way?

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