Historic day as South Australia votes to decriminalise abortion
The Human Rights Law Centre has welcomed the South Australian Parliament’s commitment to people’s health and equality with the passing of long overdue abortion laws that decriminalise abortion, with the Termination of Pregnancy Bill 2020 passing the Parliament’s lower house by 29 votes to 15 early this morning.
Monique Hurley, Senior Lawyer at the Human Rights Law Centre, said:
“Access to a safe, legal abortion is a critical healthcare right. We welcome the lower house of the South Australian Parliament voting in favour of decriminalising abortion. This is a massive step forward for reproductive rights in South Australia and will remove many barriers to accessing abortion care.
“This is about respecting people’s right to choose the future of their bodies and their lives. We are grateful to the countless people and communities who have been fighting for many years to finally see abortion treated as the healthcare matter it is, rather than a criminal offence.
“We are, however, deeply disappointed by the cynical tactics of a handful of politicians who held people’s health to ransom by forcing through unnecessary amendments.
“Harmful amendments - like the ban on sex selective abortions - are one of the many tools used by the anti-abortion movement to create barriers to accessing safe abortion healthcare. Abortion bans create an expectation that doctors will police a patient’s reasons for needing abortion care to try and rule out sex-selection as a motivation. It also increases the likelihood of healthcare discrimination.”
The reforms passed the upper house of the South Australian Parliament late last year, but because of the amendments made in the lower house, the reform must go back to the upper house before becoming law.
Once the reforms pass in South Australia, Western Australia will be the only state in Australia that still uses the criminal law to regulate abortion, and without safe access zones to protect the safety and dignity of people accessing abortion services.
“People in West Australia should be able to make decisions about their own bodies and lives, free from fear and harassment. The Parliament of Western Australia must now follow in the footsteps of South Australia and remove all barriers to timely reproductive healthcare,” Hurley said.
Media contact:
Michelle Bennett, Engagement Director, Human Rights Law Centre,
0419 100 519