Australia – An important anniversary in the history of women’s reproductive healthcare

Michael Carrette, Caroline de Costa, Philip Goldstone, Mukesh Haikerwal
Issue 6 / 16 February 2026

February 2026 marks the twentieth anniversary of the overturning of the Harradine Amendment by the Federal Parliament in 2006. Thanks to the efforts of many people across the country, this parliamentary action opened the way for a cascade of reforms in abortion care for Australian women.

The 1996 Amendment to the 1989 Therapeutic Goods Act was a political measure initiated by Brian Harradine, independent senator for Tasmania, who held the balance of power in the Senate during the Howard government and who was a hostile opponent of abortion. At the time, mifepristone (better known then as RU486) had been used in Australia only for a small clinical trial by Monash professor David Healy. Harradine made a deal with then Prime Minister, John Howard — he would support Howard’s bill to privatise Telstra and in return Howard would bring in legislation forbidding the import, manufacture or use of mifepristone in Australia without the express permission of the Health Minister. The Amendment was passed and had the effect of completely blocking efforts to introduce mifepristone for medical abortion in Australia, despite increasing use of mifepristone in many overseas countries and its proven safety.

Continued: https://insightplus.mja.com.au/2026/6/an-important-anniversary-in-the-history-of-womens-reproductive-healthcare/

Australia – To put an end to the abortion wars, we need mass struggle

Issue: 187
1st July 2025
Judy McVey

The global surge of attacks on abortion rights has been a wake-up call for pro-choice activists in Australia.1 In June 2022, thousands rallied in solidarity with women in the United States when Roe v Wade was overturned by the US Supreme Court. Many media commentators argued that Australia was different from the US and abortion rights were safe here. After all, between 2002 and 2023, regional governments around the country removed abortion from criminal laws. Decriminalisation reflected community-wide popularity for legal abortion. Polls show that more than 80 percent of Australians believe “abortion should be legal and available in Australia in all circumstances”; anti-abortion sentiment is generally less than 10 percent.2

However, the bigots do not simply acknowledge defeat and disappear. Anti-abortionists inside and outside mainstream parties in Australia were emboldened by the rise of the far right and anti-abortion politics in the US and Europe.

Continued: https://isj.org.uk/abortion-wars-australia/

Abortion is now legal across Australia – but it’s still hard to access. Doctors are both the problem and the solution

December 5, 2023
Barbara Baird, Associate Professor, College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, Flinders University

Abortion is now fully legal in every jurisdiction in Australia. Western Australia became the last state to decriminalise it just two months ago, in September 2023. And the Australian population is solidly pro-choice: a 2021 study found 76% of Australians support access to abortion.

Yet access to abortion care here has been described as a “lottery” in a 2023 Senate inquiry report. My research into abortion provision in Australia over the past 30 years doesn’t describe chance, but an inadequate system.

Continued: https://theconversation.com/abortion-is-now-legal-across-australia-but-its-still-hard-to-access-doctors-are-both-the-problem-and-the-solution-216278

Women who require late-term abortions are being demonised in Australia – again

As South Australia debates a bill to decriminalise abortion, the same misinformation is being peddled

Gina Rushton
Thu 29 Oct 2020

It wouldn’t be a debate about abortion without a flagrant misinformation campaign about terminations after the first trimester.

A bill to decriminalise abortion was this month introduced in South Australia, the last jurisdiction to do so, and opponents of the legislation have already set about claiming if passed it would legalise and in fact encourage “abortion up to birth”, an offensive but ultimately meaningless phrase. It has been the relentless catchphrase of anti-abortion lobbyists, religious leaders and conservative politicians in every single push to modernise abortion laws in this country but it is not uniquely Australian.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/oct/29/women-who-require-late-term-abortions-are-being-demonised-in-australia-again

Australia – Leading health and medical experts sound the alarm over telehealth restrictions

July 29, 2020
Marie McInerney

Hundreds of leading public health, nursing, midwifery and medical experts and organisations have signed an open letter urging the Federal Government to modify new restrictions on telehealth provision.

In an accompanying statement issued yesterday, the Government is warned that the changes “may already be having a devastating impact on sexual and reproductive health during the pandemic”.

Continued: https://croakey.org/leading-health-and-medical-experts-sound-the-alarm-over-telehealth-restrictions/

NSW abortion law: the decriminalisation reform bill explained

NSW abortion law: the decriminalisation reform bill explained
Opponents claim the new law will allow sex selection and abortion up until birth. But what does the bill actually do?

Michael McGowan
Mon 19 Aug 2019

In the two weeks since an historic bill removing abortion from the New South Wales criminal code passed its first hurdle in the parliament’s lower house, opponents of the legislation have fought hard to stop it becoming law.

Religious leaders, rightwing MPs and conservative media commentators have all mounted a concerted campaign to derail the legislation ahead of the vote. Opponents claim the bill will allow so-called gender or sex selection and abortion “on demand” up until birth.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/aug/19/nsw-abortion-law-the-decriminalisation-reform-bill-explained

NSW abortion bill passes first hurdle in late-night sitting

NSW abortion bill passes first hurdle in late-night sitting
Bill to decriminalise abortion passes lower house of parliament by 59 votes to 31 after lengthy debate

Michael McGowan
Thu 8 Aug 2019

After three days of wrangling, a historic bill to decriminalise abortions in New South Wales has cleared its first hurdle after passing through the state’s lower house.

The Reproductive Healthcare Reform bill passed 59 votes to 31 just before 11pm on Thursday night, though not without amendments that altered the bill from its original form.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/aug/08/nsw-abortion-bill-passes-first-hurdle

NSW abortion law: informed consent requirement confusing, says AMA

NSW abortion law: informed consent requirement confusing, says AMA
Bill made it through the first vote 56 to 33, but MPs are still debating more than a dozen amendments to legislation

Michael McGowan
Thu 8 Aug 2019

The introduction of a statutory requirement for doctors to gain “informed consent” before performing abortions in New South Wales will cause confusion and create an unnecessary “extra hurdle” to accessing a termination, the Australian Medical Association has warned.

The historic, cross-party bill to decriminalise abortion in NSW is being debated on the floor of the state’s parliament on Thursday, with wrangling over proposed amendments expected to go late into the night or even early Friday morning.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/aug/08/nsw-abortion-law-plan-to-increase-restrictions-on-terminations-after-22-weeks-scrapped

NSW abortion law reform: Uniting Church breaks religious ranks to back decriminalisation

NSW abortion law reform: Uniting Church breaks religious ranks to back decriminalisation
In open letter to MPs ahead of debate on bill, Reverend Simon Hansford says abortion a health and social issue

Lisa Martin
Sun 4 Aug 2019

The Uniting Church has broken ranks with other religious institutions to throw its support behind decriminalising abortion in New South Wales.

NSW is the only Australian state or territory that has neglected to modernise abortion laws.

Last week a private member’s bill co-sponsored by 15 MPs from across the political divide was introduced to state parliament. It was expected to be debated as soon as Tuesday when parliament sits.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/aug/04/nsw-abortion-law-reform-united-church-breaks-religious-ranks-to-back-decriminalisation

NSW abortion bill: Alex Greenwich hits back at claims of ‘unrestricted’ terminations

NSW abortion bill: Alex Greenwich hits back at claims of 'unrestricted' terminations
Conservatives opposed to historic reform should do their homework, independent says

Michael McGowan
Thu 1 Aug 2019

The architect of a historic bill to decriminalise abortion in New South Wales has hit out at opponents of the legislation, after a conservative MP wrongly claimed the bill would allow unrestricted abortion “until the moment of birth”.

The independent MP for Sydney, Alex Greenwich, tabled the bill on Thursday after it was delayed by a week by resistance within the Coalition government.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/aug/01/alex-greenwich-hits-back-at-incorrect-claims-about-nsw-abortion-bill