Abortion bill faces resistance in Australia’s New South Wales

Abortion bill faces resistance in Australia's New South Wales
State's upper house drags feet in passing law legalising abortion despite an overwhelming 75-percent support by voters.

by Kate Walton
Sep 17, 2019

Canberra, Australia - Debate has begun in the upper house of the state of New South Wales (NSW) to decriminalise abortion, but what was expected to be a straightforward legislative process has triggered a furious backlash from conservative politicians and religious groups.

The Reproductive Health Care Act 2019, which seeks to bring the state in line with the rest of Australia, would allow abortion up to 22 weeks. It was passed by the state lower house in August, with 59 votes in favour and 31 against.

Continued: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/09/abortion-bill-faces-resistance-australia-south-wales-190917075212482.html

NSW – The social media tactics being used to shape the abortion debate

The social media tactics being used to shape the abortion debate

By Paige Cockburn, state political reporter Ashleigh Raper, and Kevin Nguyen
Posted Sat Aug 24, 2019

While politicians in NSW debate a controversial bill that would decriminalise abortion, opponents of the new laws have been winning the fight in cyberspace.

The bill, proposed by Independent MP Alex Greenwich, was last week debated in the Upper House and is set to be voted on next month.

Continued: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-08-25/how-anti-abortion-campaigners-are-winning-the-fight-online/11433962

NSW abortion law backers unlikely to support calls for sex selection ban

NSW abortion law backers unlikely to support calls for sex selection ban
Supporters of bill to decriminalise abortion confident it can pass despite opponents’ campaign

By Brinkwire
on August 16, 2019

Supporters of a historic bill to decriminalise abortion in New South Wales remain confident it will make it through parliament unscathed despite the premier, Gladys Berejiklian, caving in to calls for bans on so-called “sex selection” terminations.

The bill’s passage through the lower house last week prompted a backlash from rightwing MPs, religious leaders and conservative figures in the media who have mounted a concerted campaign to derail the legislation ahead of the upper house vote.

Continued: https://en.brinkwire.com/canada/nsw-abortion-law-backers-unlikely-to-support-calls-for-sex-selection-ban/

NSW – ‘Compassion’ plea in abortion bill debate

'Compassion' plea in abortion bill debate
By AAP
Aug 16, 2019

A NSW upper house committee has under a week to report its findings from an inquiry examining a bill to decriminalise abortion in the state.

The parliamentary committee held hearings in Sydney on Wednesday and Thursday before the bill is sent to the Legislative Council where it's due to be debated next week.

Continued: https://www.9news.com.au/national/compassion-plea-in-abortion-bill-debate/b21966ac-a72e-4560-b323-c05ccbf65ab1

Australia – Abortion back on agenda in NSW as decriminalisation push gathers pace

Abortion back on agenda in NSW as decriminalisation push gathers pace
Labor, Greens and key independent signal they will pursue changes to Crimes Act

Josephine Tovey
Wed 6 Mar 2019

Abortion decriminalisation is likely to be back on the agenda in the next New South Wales parliament, with Labor, the Greens and a key independent signalling they will pursue it.

On Wednesday federal Labor announced a national sexual and reproductive rights strategy to improve access to contraceptives and abortion, and vowed to work with the states on decriminalisation.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/mar/07/abortion-back-on-agenda-in-nsw-as-decriminalisation-push-gathers-pace

Australia – ‘Cruel, archaic, degrading’: NSW only state where abortion is criminal

'Cruel, archaic, degrading': NSW only state where abortion is criminal

By Kate Aubusson
11 December 2018

NSW abortion laws have been denounced as “archaic, cruel and degrading” by doctors, lawyers, community services as opposition leader Michael Daley says he would consult the women in his life before voting on any legislation to decriminalise abortion.

NSW is the only state in Australia where abortion is still a criminal offence after Queensland's Parliament voted to decriminalise abortion in October.

Continued: https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/cruel-archaic-degrading-nsw-only-state-where-abortion-is-criminal-20181210-p50la4.html

The rate of abortion in Australia is lower than you think

The rate of abortion in Australia is lower than you think
By the National Reporting Team's Alison Branley and medical reporter Sophie Scott

Updated December 13, 2017

An ABC investigation has found that Australia has been following international trends and many of the available statistics point to a marked reduction in terminations across the country to a rate as low as 13.5 per 1,000 women.

Despite the available evidence, key opinion leaders, including the College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, academics and family planning clinics, continue to mistakenly suggest Australia has one of the highest rates of abortion in the developed world — even though it is lower than countries like the UK and Canada.

Continued at source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-12-13/the-rate-of-abortion-in-australia-is-lower-than-you-think/9250122

Australia: Abortion decriminalisation to get renewed push in NSW parliament

Abortion decriminalisation to get renewed push in NSW parliament

Greens proposal, which would create 150-metre protest-free zones around clinics, backed by medical and legal experts

Christopher Knaus
Sunday 7 May 2017

A proposal to decriminalise abortion and create protest-free zones around clinics is expected to come before New South Wales parliament this week, backed by doctors, lawyers, teachers, academics, unions and civil rights groups.

The Greens are leading the push to have abortion removed from the state’s Crimes Act, but are facing opposition from the Catholic church and the Christian lobby, which are seeking to lobby members of parliament against the changes.

Continued at source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/may/08/abortion-decriminalisation-to-get-renewed-push-in-nsw-parliament

Australian Christian Lobby campaigns for Trump-style abortion gag on aid providers

Australian Christian Lobby campaigns for Trump-style abortion gag on aid providers
By Sean Mantesso
May 1, 2017

The Australian Christian Lobby is campaigning to have a gag on government funding to foreign abortion services applied to Australian aid providers.

In one of his first moves as US President, Donald Trump angered many in the development community by reintroducing a gag on such services imposed by previous Republican presidents, which opponents say will affect the health of millions of women around the world.

Continued at source: ABC News: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-05-01/australian-christian-lobby-campaigns-for-abortion-gag/8487502

01.05.2017