A victory for abortion rights in Australia

A victory for abortion rights in Australia

20 April 2017

In Australia’s Northern Territory (NT), a bill to amend the Northern Territory Medical Services Act, in order to decriminalise abortion, has passed in parliament. Voted through by 20 votes to four, this new bill brings in dramatic, positive changes for women in the NT seeking abortion services.

Women will no longer have to visit hospitals – sometimes hundreds of miles from home – to access abortion services. Instead, they can now attend specialist, local clinics. The bill also legalises the use of abortion drugs such as RU486 for up to nine weeks into pregnancy, offering women the non-surgical option to terminate a pregnancy in its infancy. As well as this, the bill officially changes the criminal code, meaning abortion is no longer regulated by the criminal law in the NT.

Continued at Source: Spiked: http://www.spiked-online.com/newsite/article/a-victory-for-abortion-rights-in-australia/19711


Australia: Northern Territory Parliament Passes Bill to Decriminalize Abortion, Improve Access

Australia: Northern Territory Parliament Passes Bill to Decriminalize Abortion, Improve Access

(Mar. 28, 2017) On March 21, 2017, Australia’s Northern Territory Parliament voted to pass the Termination of Pregnancy Law Reform Bill 2017 (NT) (Northern Territory Legislation website). The Bill amends part VI, division 8, of the Criminal Code Act (NT), which currently criminalizes the administration of a drug or use of an instrument with the intention of procuring a woman’s miscarriage. (Criminal Code Act (NT), s 208B, as in force at Nov. 1, 2016, Northern Territory Legislation website.) It also repeals the current provision in the Medical Services Act (NT) that sets out the circumstances in which it is lawful for a medical practitioner to give medical treatment intended to terminate a pregnancy, replacing this with the new abortion law framework provided by the Bill. (Medical Services Act (NT), s 11, as in force July 1, 2014, Northern Territory Legislation website.)

Continued at source: Law Library of Congress: http://www.loc.gov/law/foreign-news/article/australia-northern-territory-parliament-passes-bill-to-decriminalize-abortion-improve-access/


Australia: New NT abortion law an important step forward for women’s health but further reform needed

New NT abortion law an important step forward for women’s health but further reform needed
March 22, 2017

The Human Rights Law Centre welcomes the passing of the Termination of Pregnancy Law Reform Bill in the Northern Territory Parliament last night but has urged the Northern Territory Government to fully decriminalise abortion and respect women as competent decision makers.

The new law improves access to abortion, allows access to the “abortion pill” outside hospital settings and protects women against harassment and intimidation from anti-abortionists.

Adrianne Walters, Director of Legal Advocacy at the Human Rights Law Centre, said, “We commend Attorney-General Natasha Fyles, for her leadership in pushing these vital reforms through the NT Parliament. However, the new law does not give women decision making power, even in the very early stages of pregnancy. It also fails to fully decriminalise abortion. The Attorney-General has committed to reviewing the laws in 12 to 24 months. These serious shortcomings should be addressed now.”

Continued at source: Human Rights Law Centre: https://www.hrlc.org.au/news/2017/3/22/new-nt-abortion-law-an-important-step-forward-for-womens-health-but-further-reform-needed


Australia: Abortion decriminalised in Northern Territory after long campaign

Abortion decriminalised in Northern Territory after long campaign

Labor-led parliament votes 20 to four to amend Medical Services Act and widen access to RU486 termination drug

Helen Davidson in Darwin
@heldavidson

Wednesday 22 March 2017

The Northern Territory has decriminalised abortion and widened access for women, including use of the RU486 termination drug.

After a years-long public campaign and failed attempts during the previous administration, the Labor-led parliament voted 20 votes to four on Tuesday in favour of a bill to amend the NT Medical Services Act and the criminal code. Labor members were given a conscience vote.

Continued at source: The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/mar/22/abortion-decriminalised-in-northern-territory-after-long-campaign


Australia: NT abortion bill: Reform to allow RU486 will deliver equality, lead to ‘dark ages’, politicians tell Parliament

NT abortion bill: Reform to allow RU486 will deliver equality, lead to 'dark ages', politicians tell Parliament
By Lucy Marks

March 21, 2017

The Northern Territory Parliament has passed a law decriminalising abortion and legalising the medical termination of pregnancy.

A crowd of supporters cheered in the public gallery when the bill passed 20 votes to four, after a lengthy debate on Tuesday night.

Health Minister Natasha Fyles said in passing the bill the Government had delivered on an election commitment to Territory women.

Continued at source: ABC News: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-03-21/nt-abortion-debate-hears-from-all-sides-of-parliament/8374464


Australia’s Northern Territory decriminalises abortion

Australia's Northern Territory decriminalises abortion
21 March 2017

Australia's Northern Territory has decriminalised abortion as part of wide-ranging reforms on the medical termination of pregnancy.

Chief Minister Michael Gunner said the laws bring the territory in line with the rest of Australia.

The reforms legalise the use of abortion drugs, such as RU486, up to nine weeks into a pregnancy.

They also allow medical terminations to happen in specialist clinics, instead of solely in city hospitals.

Continued at source: BBC: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-39335371


Australia: NT govt to introduce abortion bill

NT govt to introduce abortion bill
February 14, 2017
Lucy Hughes Jones
Australian Associated Press

New laws to decriminalise medical abortions will be introduced to the Northern Territory parliament this week.

Using the RU486 pregnancy termination pill is still a crime in the NT and abortions can currently only be performed surgically in a hospital.

"Northern Territory women should have the same access to termination of pregnancy as women in the rest of Australia," Leader of Government Business Natasha Fyles said.

Continued at source: News.com.au: http://www.news.com.au/national/breaking-news/nt-govt-to-introduce-abortion-bill/news-story/7a9e5a549ad66669961ec92d9e6c52cf


Australia: Northern Territory must respect women’s judgment on abortion, advocates say

Northern Territory must respect women's judgment on abortion, advocates say

Human rights law centre says proposed changes to abortion law still leave the decision in the hands of a doctor

Helen Davidson in Darwin
Wednesday 18 January 2017, The Guardian

The Northern Territory must give more respect to women as competent decision-makers and stop using criminal law to restrict access to abortion, the Human Rights Law Centre has urged.

Outside of limited allowable circumstances, abortion is a criminal offence under the NT criminal code, and the territory is currently the only Australian jurisdiction where women must be in a hospital for any abortion.

[continued at link]
Source, The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jan/19/northern-territory-must-respect-womens-judgment-on-abortion-advocates-say


Australia: Abortion law overhaul pegged for Northern Territory

JILL POULSEN, NT News
October 9, 2016 4:04pm

RIGHT-to-life protesters could soon be banned from going near women accessing abortion services in the Territory.
New Health Minister and Attorney-General Natasha Fyles told the NT Newsshe hoped to have laws passed by next year that would allow women to access medical abortion drug RU486.

The Northern Territory remains the only jurisdiction in Australia to not legalise medical abortion.

Ms Fyles said she had a formal briefing on the issue with the Department of Health and had met with lobby group WHAT RU 4NT? in preparation for drafting a “contemporary piece of legislation” aimed at supporting Territory women.

[continued at link]
Source: The Courier Mail


Stigma and Silence: Welcome to Abortion in Rural Australia

by Katherine Gillespie
Sep 12 2016, Broadly

Women in far-flung Australian towns bear the brunt of outdated abortion laws, often traveling overnight to escape local conservatism and reach abortion clinics. Could telemedicine be the answer?

With a total of 3,062 residents, Tennant Creek is the fifth largest town in Australia's Northern Territory. The closest urban center is Alice Springs, which is six hours away. For a Tennant Creek resident in need of an abortion clinic, that's a long and lonely drive.

Rural Australians make up a third of this country's population, and many have difficulty accessing the services city-dwellers take for granted. That includes abortions, which one in three Australian women will seek in their lifetime. All of which means a huge number of rural Australian women must travel vast distances to terminate an unwanted pregnancy.

[continued at link]
Source: Broadly