WA looks ahead to modernised laws as ‘historic’ abortion legislation passes

15 August 2021
By Naomi Neilson

In what has been praised as a “landmark achievement” by human rights lawyers, the Western Australian government has brought its legislation in line with the rest of Australia by passing a bill to create protective zones around abortion services. However, the state still has a long way to go to decriminalise and modernise its laws.

Western Australia has become the last state or territory in Australia to pass the Public Health Amendment (Safe Access Zones) Bill 2021 and has finally unified the country’s protective zones around abortion services. Within these zones, obstructive and harassing behaviour targeted at patients and staff is prohibited.

Continued: https://www.lawyersweekly.com.au/biglaw/32196-wa-looks-ahead-to-modernised-laws-as-historic-abortion-legislation-passes

Abortion clinic protests banned in WA as safe access zones bill approved to protect women

By Rhiannon Shine
Aug 12, 2021

Protesting outside abortion clinics will no longer be allowed in any Australian jurisdiction, after laws to introduce safe access zones in Western Australia passed State Parliament.

The Public Health Amendment (Safe Access Zones) Bill 2021 passed the Labor-dominated Legislative Council today.

Continued: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-08-12/wa-abortion-clinic-protests-banned-under-safe-access-zones-bill/100366664

Australia: Protect us from anti-abortion protesters, say women’s clinics in WA

Protect us from anti-abortion protesters, say women's clinics in WA
Marie Stopes staff in Perth say they fear for their safety and for patients as protests intensify in lead up to Easter

Melissa Davey
Thu 25 Jan 2018

The Western Australian government needs to introduce exclusion zones around women’s health clinics as a matter of urgency, according to clinicians who say anti-abortion protesters are becoming more aggressive, spitting on and verbally abusing patients.

Staff at the Marie Stopes family planning clinic in the Perth suburb of Midland told Guardian Australia that they were being targeted from the moment they drove up to the clinic.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jan/26/protect-us-from-anti-abortion-protesters-say-womens-clinics-in-wa