Queensland introduces Australian-first law to allow midwives and nurses to prescribe abortion pills

Exclusive: Legislation hailed as big step towards providing fair access to terminations across state

Eden Gillespie
Thu 30 Nov 2023

Queensland will become Australia’s first jurisdiction to introduce a law to allow nurses and midwives to dispense pregnancy termination medication in a move expected to improve access in the state’s “huge abortion deserts”.

In August the Therapeutic Goods Administration scrapped restrictions on the prescription of medical abortion pills, known as MS-2 Step, to be used in the early stages of pregnancy. But it is up to individual jurisdictions to determine the specific healthcare practitioner and the appropriate qualifications for prescribing.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/nov/30/queensland-law-abortion-pills-midwives-nurses-prescribed-details

Queensland election: LNP tries to keep anti-abortion push out of sight

Deb Frecklington seeks broad support in a state that backs abortion rights, but some LNP MPs and poll candidates are pressing for a more divisive approach

Ben Smee
Fri 16 Oct 2020

At a campaign stop this week, the Queensland opposition leader, Deb Frecklington, was asked about the Liberal National party’s policy to review the state’s abortion laws. She quickly changed the subject.

“I haven’t got the details of that yet, it’s not a priority,” Frecklington said.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/oct/17/why-queenslands-opposition-leader-wants-partys-anti-abortion-push-kept-out-of-election-sight

Australia – ‘Devastating’: Rural women are struggling to access abortion services during the pandemic

The pandemic has reinforced existing barriers for rural and regional women when it comes to termination services. There are fears some women could take matters into their own hands and attempt unsafe abortions.

September 6, 2020

BY EDEN GILLESPIE

Dr Catriona Melville, Deputy Medical Director at Marie Stopes, has been flying
into rural towns to provide termination services since the pandemic began.

She told The Feed that while abortion is an essential service, some patients in
Melbourne, who under lockdown, are in a precarious position with no abortion
clinics or specialists in their area.

Continued: https://www.sbs.com.au/news/the-feed/devastating-rural-women-are-struggling-to-access-abortion-services-during-the-pandemic

06.09.2020

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Marie Stopes Australia

Australia – Abortion providers fear telehealth changes

Finbar O'Mallon, Australian Associated Press
9 July 2020

An Australian abortion provider fears telehealth measures introduced during the coronavirus pandemic will be rolled back in September but the government says there are no plans to limit the services.

Marie Stopes Australia says women could face higher out-of-pocket costs when they try to access discreet medical abortions if the measures are done away with.

Continued: https://au.news.yahoo.com/abortion-providers-fear-telehealth-changes-140511325--spt.html

09.07.2020

Marie Stopes Australia

Abortion providers take private flights to regional Queensland as coronavirus triggers industry collapse

Abortion providers take private flights to regional Queensland as coronavirus triggers industry collapse

By Emilie Gramenz
May 1, 2020

Family planning clinicians have had to charter private planes to deliver surgical abortion services in central and north Queensland, as the collapse of the domestic travel industry bites.

The only surgical abortion provider in Rockhampton and Townsville — Marie Stopes — runs clinics once a week, using a mixture of local staff and clinicians from Brisbane or elsewhere.

Continued: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-02/abortion-providers-take-private-flights-during-coronavirus/12181846

01.05.2020