Abortion clinic safe-access zones face challenge in Australia’s high court

Abortion clinic safe-access zones face challenge in Australia's high court
Campaigners challenging Victorian and Tasmanian laws argue they stifle free speech

Melissa Davey
Mon 8 Oct 2018

The validity of the safe-access-zone laws in Victoria and Tasmania that prevent anti-abortion protesters from harassing women seeking medical treatment will be challenged before the high court on Tuesday.

The Victorian case has been brought by anti-abortion campaigner Kathleen Clubb, who was the first person to be convicted of breaking Victoria’s safe-access-zone laws in 2016. The laws mean anti-abortion protesters cannot protest within 150m of health and fertility clinics. Clubb was fined $5,000 for communicating about abortion to a woman attending an East Melbourne medical clinic. Clubb’s conduct was found to be “reasonably likely to cause distress or anxiety”.

continued: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/oct/09/abortion-clinic-safe-access-zones-face-challenge-in-australias-high-court


Australia: Abortion laws: bill to establish exclusion zones likely to pass NSW parliament

Abortion laws: bill to establish exclusion zones likely to pass NSW parliament
Laws would establish ‘safe access’ around clinics and proposes potential jail time for harassment within zones

Michael McGowan
Wed 23 May 2018

A bill to establish exclusion zones around abortion clinics in New South Wales is likely to pass the state’s parliament.

The legislation would establish 150m “safe access zones” around abortion clinics and proposes potential jail time for people caught harassing people within the zones.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/may/23/abortion-laws-bill-to-establish-exclusion-zones-likely-to-pass-nsw-parliament


Australia – ‘Safe zones’ around abortion clinics don’t threaten free speech, Victoria says

'Safe zones' around abortion clinics don't threaten free speech, Victoria says
State government tells high court that anti-abortion protesters are not engaged in public debate but are targeting women for their medical choices

Paul Karp
Thu 17 May 2018

“Safe access zones” around abortion clinics do not breach Australians’ limited right to free speech because protesters are not engaged in public debate but rather targeting women for their medical choices, the Victorian government has said.

The Victorian government has made the submission to the high court, warning that without safe access zones some women who need abortion services will decide “to delay or not to seek those services at all”.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/may/18/safe-zones-around-abortion-clinics-dont-threaten-free-speech-victoria-says