An overhaul of Western Australia's abortion laws that will streamline access to terminations is set to be introduced to parliament following successful community consultation.
Key points:
- The proposed laws underwent a community consultation period
- The majority of respondents backed each of the six proposed changes
- One change was to increase the time limit for a procedure from 20 to 24 weeks
Thousands of health professionals and members of the broader public in WA were surveyed on six proposed amendments late last year.
The majority backed every change, including fully decriminalising abortion, increasing a gestational time limit for a procedure from 20 to 24 weeks, abolishing mandatory counselling and scrapping the need for a GP referral.
Under the current WA legislation, abortions beyond 20 weeks must be authorised by two medical practitioners who are part of a statutory panel appointed by the health minister.
Both doctors must agree either the mother or unborn baby has a medical condition warranting termination.
Existing limit 'cruel and unfair'
"This is about buying time," Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson said.
"Now for women who have a 19-week scan, that is often the first time that they are told that their baby will not survive full term or will have significant malformations.
"So to have a limit of 20 weeks or one week to make one of the most important decisions that you'll make in your life – it is cruel and unfair."
Acting Deputy Medical Director of Sexual Health Quarters Dr Nicole Filar said the legislation amendments will be "groundbreaking".
She said the changes will lead to safer, easier, and dignified access to all WA women.
"It particularly impacts those communities that you know are more vulnerable, for instance, First Nations people, people with a disability, young people and … those living with intimate partner violence and reproductive coercion," Dr Filar said.
Most participants backed every change, with 72 per cent supporting the introduction of a new requirement that doctors who conscientiously object to participating in abortion care must refer their patients to someone willing to provide a termination.
More than two-thirds of respondents also supported requiring patients to consult just one medical practitioner rather than the current two before receiving a termination.
Abolishing mandatory counselling provisions gained support from 63 per cent of the participants.
Only half of the respondents wanted to raise the maximum gestational age for relatively straightforward access to an abortion from 20 weeks to 24 weeks.
Nearly two-thirds backed scrapping the need for ministerial approval for health services to perform late-term abortions.
This meant there are currently just two facilities in the entire state permitted to carry out terminations beyond 20 weeks.
Laws to be put to conscience vote
Abortion laws in WA have remained unchanged for almost 25 years, with women needing to travel interstate to access care that is either not lawful in WA or is a challenge to access locally.
Ms Sanderson said the legislation is set to be introduced to parliament before the end of this month.
"It is my intention to read them in before we rise for the winter break," she said.
"We'll have to pass it through the parliament, and this will be a conscience vote."
https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiX2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvbmV3cy8yMDIzLTA2LTEwL3dhLWFib3J0aW9uLWxhdy1jaGFuZ2VzLXRpbWUtbGltaXQtYWNjZXNzLWxhd3MvMTAyNDY1NTgw0gEoaHR0cHM6Ly9hbXAuYWJjLm5ldC5hdS9hcnRpY2xlLzEwMjQ2NTU4MA?oc=5
2023-06-10 04:25:37Z
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