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Aussie Journalist's Abortion Comments Just Lit Up An Irish Pageant

#sydneyrose is now trending in Ireland.
Australian journalist Brianna Parkins has caused a stir at the Rose of Tralee festival in Ireland.
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Australian journalist Brianna Parkins has caused a stir at the Rose of Tralee festival in Ireland.

An Australian journalist has caused a stir in at an Irish pageant by taking a strong stance on reproductive rights.

The ABC's Brianna Parkins, the Sydney entrant to the annual Rose of Tralee festival, used her time on stage to make a statement about repealing the 8th Amendment to the Irish Constitution, which criminalises abortion.

.@parkinsbrea A woman who supports women. #SydneyRose#RoseofTralee#repealthe8thpic.twitter.com/7EJuyfCB0i

— Lars Biscuits (@LarsBiscuits) August 23, 2016

"In Australia we just had our funding cut for domestic violence shelters, so we're having women who are being turned away on a nightly basis. We're having women sleeping on police station floors.

"It's just not on. I think we can do better. I think we can do better here in Ireland, I think it's time to give women a say on their own reproductive rights and I would love to see a referendum on the 8th (amendment) coming up soon."

Pro-choice groups in Ireland have been gathering signatures to call for a referendum to repeal the 8th amendment, which in some cases leaves women no choice but to fly overseas if they want an abortion (one woman recently live tweeted the experience).

Parkins' statement at the Rose event has attracted both supportive and negative commentary under the hashtag #sydneyrose.

Parkins statement even trumped the man dressed like a priest who stormed the stage during the Cavan Rose's speech (and to be fair, she was completely un-phased by the interruption.)

So this happened!! #RoseofTralee#Stageinvaderhttps://t.co/aJJZJjd2Ve

— RTÉ Entertainment (@RTE_Ents) August 22, 2016

But the last word (for now) goes to the totally unbiased view of HuffPost Australia reporter Josh Butler.

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