Historic time for reproductive rights in Australia
In a historic week for reproductive rights in Australia, the two states yet to modernise their abortion laws – South Australia and Western Australia – both took important steps to increase women’s access to reproductive healthcare and bring their laws into the 21st Century.
Monique Hurley, Senior Lawyer at the Human Rights Law Centre, said that abortion is healthcare and women have a right to reproductive freedom, wherever they are.
“Once both South Australia and Western Australia decriminalise abortion and introduce safe access zones, women across Australia will legally be able to make decisions about their own bodies and lives, free from fear and harassment. This will be historic – access to a safe, legal abortion is a critical healthcare right.”
South Australia
After safe access zone laws overwhelmingly passed the South Australian lower house three weeks ago, the South Australian Parliament yesterday took another historic step by introducing the Termination of Pregnancy Bill into the upper house – laws that will decriminalise abortion in South Australia.
Monique Hurley, Senior Lawyer at the Human Rights Law Centre, urged members of the South Australian Parliament to vote in favour of women’s right to healthcare.
“This is a significant moment for South Australia, and presents an opportunity to finally get the law right when it comes to women’s equality and reproductive freedom. Now is the time for the South Australian Parliament to ensure abortion is treated as the healthcare matter it is.”
Abortion in South Australia is currently regulated by criminal laws written in 1969 and is only accessible in certain circumstances, with people living in rural and remote areas of the state having particularly poor access to abortion services.
“This is not a complex issue. This is about better health outcomes for women, and respecting women’s right to choose the future of our bodies and our lives,” said Hurley.
While the Human Rights Law Centre has concerns about some provisions in the proposed laws that fall short of the recommendations made by the South Australian Law Reform Institute, the move towards decriminalising abortion in South Australia is welcome.
Western Australia
The dignity of women seeking reproductive health services is also a step closer to being protected in Western Australia, with the McGowan Government yesterday introducing the Public Health Amendment (Safe Access Zones) Bill into the Parliament of Western Australia.
The laws seek to end the harassment of women at the doors of abortion clinics by introducing safe access zones, which create protective areas around abortion services to prohibit intimidating and harassing conduct targeted at patients and staff.
Senior Lawyer, Monique Hurley congratulated the McGowan Government for introducing the safe access zone legislation.
“This is an important step towards promoting equality and safe access to healthcare for women. For far too long, women in Western Australia have had to run a gauntlet of intimidation and abuse just to see their doctor. We urge members of the Western Australian Parliament to support safe access zones and stand up for women’s rights.”
The next step will be for the McGowan Government to follow in the footsteps of South Australia and the rest of the country and fully decriminalise abortion.
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In SA, the Human Rights Law Centre is a proud member of the South Australian Abortion Action Coalition, which is a broad coalition of people who want to improve abortion access in SA.
* While referring to women in this media release, we emphasise that trans-men and gender diverse people experience pregnancy and must be guaranteed safe access to abortion services.
Media contact:
Michelle Bennett, Communications Director, Human Rights Law Centre,
0419 100 519