Historic win for better healthcare as WA passes new abortion laws
NEWS | Reproductive Rights
A landmark milestone for equality and reproductive rights was achieved when the Western Australia Parliament finally passed new health-focused abortion laws that will see abortion removed from the state’s criminal laws.
Every person should have the power to decide what’s right for their body and their future. That’s why advancing reproductive freedom in Australia has long been a goal of the Human Rights Law Centre.
Last night, a landmark milestone for equality and reproductive rights was achieved when the Western Australia Parliament finally passed new health-focused abortion laws that will see abortion removed from the state’s criminal laws. With the passing of these laws, abortion by doctors has now been decriminalised Australia-wide.
WA’s new laws will see abortion treated like healthcare, with unnecessary legal barriers to timely care removed, such as mandatory counselling and needing multiple doctors' approval. The new laws also require doctors who object to abortion to respect their patient’s right to healthcare and will help improve access to care in regional areas by supporting nurse-led care.
This moment has been achieved through generations of protest and advocacy from organisations and individuals around Australia, including the Human Rights Law Centre. We’ve worked closely with many incredible community advocates, doctors, nurses, social workers, lawyers and politicians, and heard many brave women tell their stories. This moment is a testament to their determination and to collaborative action.
Much remains to be done to ensure that every person can access abortion care regardless of who they are, where they live or how much money they have. This historic moment shows us that by working together, we can get there.
“When I first joined the Human Rights Law Centre, five states and territories were still using outdated criminal laws to regulate people’s access to abortion. Staff and patients were still being harassed and abused by anti-abortionists outside clinics. It’s been incredible to play a role over the past six years, with so many others, in changing the story about abortion in Australia and ensuring that our laws prioritise the health, dignity and safety of people needing healthcare.”
- Adrianne Walters, Human Rights Law Centre