Australia – Anti-abortion activist Joanna Howe claims University of Adelaide gave her immunity from complaints by pro-choice campaigners

The university, which employs Howe as a law professor, states that it ‘considers each matter on its merits’

Tory Shepherd
Thu 27 Nov 2025

A prominent anti-abortion campaigner, who was banned from the South Australian parliament and accused of bullying, claims her employer has granted her immunity from complaints from anyone who is pro-choice.

Anti-abortion activist Joanna Howe, who has pledged to make abortion “unthinkable”, says the University of Adelaide, which employs her as a law professor, has agreed that those with ideologically opposed viewpoints to hers will be deemed “vexatious”, and any complaints they make about her will not be acted upon.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/nov/27/anti-abortion-activist-joanna-howes-claims-her-employer-gave-her-immunity-from-complaints-by-pro-choice-campaigners-ntwnfb

27.11.2025

Hate over love: conservative influencers have brought angrier anti-abortion politics to Australia

May 27, 2025
Prudence Flowers

After two decades of abortion decriminalisation across Australian states and territories, there has been a sudden surge of anti-abortion activity online, in the streets and in parliaments.

Since 2022, right-to-life bills were introduced federally and in Queensland and were voted on in South Australia. During the 2024 Queensland state election, one politician vowed to introduce a conscience vote on abortion to return it to criminal law.

Continued https://theconversation.com/hate-over-love-conservative-influencers-have-brought-angrier-anti-abortion-politics-to-australia-257444

UK – State and federal MPs describe death threats and vile abuse in wake of Joanna Howe’s anti-abortion campaign

Representatives around the country say third parties sent abusive messages after they were targeted for their stance on abortion

Tory Shepherd
Wed 21 May 2025

State and federal MPs around the country say they and their staff have received death threats from third parties amid controversy generated by the self-described “assertiveness” of the anti-abortion activist Joanna Howe.

Howe, an expert in migration law at the University of Adelaide, has campaigned for anti-abortion laws in various state parliaments, and this month organised a rally – attended by the former prime minister Tony Abbott – against NSW reforms to improve access to services. She said on social media people “need to be hysterical” about the bill, which represented what she called “an extreme, radical takeover of our country”.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/may/21/state-and-federal-mps-describe-death-threats-and-vile-abuse-in-wake-of-joanna-howes-anti-abortion-campaign-ntwnfb

Abortion pills to be easier to access after Greens bill passes in NSW despite opposition from Tony Abbott
Legislation brings state in line with others, as opposition leader says he refuses to cave to ‘Americanisation of NSW politics’ after grassroots campaign

Natasha May
Wed 14 May

New South Wales women will have easier access to abortion pills after the state passed a bill allowing nurse practitioners and registered midwives to prescribe the medication.

The bill – which aims to improve access to healthcare for women in rural and regional areas – passed the lower house on Wednesday, despite vocal opposition including by former prime minister Tony Abbott.

Continued; https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/may/14/nsw-medical-abortion-access-bill-passes-both-houses-ntwnfb

Australia – NSW politicians will vote on abortion this week. Here’s what could be changing

By Nick Dole
May 12, 2025

A bill to expand abortion services in New South Wales will face a crucial vote in the lower house this week.

While the most controversial aspects of the bill were stripped out in the upper house last week, Labor and Coalition MPs will still be granted a conscience vote on what Premier Chris Minns says is a "vexed issue".

What's being proposed？ The bill, introduced by upper house Greens MP Amanda Cohn, aims to expand women's access to abortion by allowing nurse practitioners to supply medication to terminate pregnancies, up to nine weeks' gestation.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05-13/nsw-politicians-to-vote-changes-abortion-bill-what-are-they/105282854

12.05.2025

midwives and abortion

nurse practitioners and abortion

Australia – Liberal leader refuses to show hand on contentious abortion bill

By Michael McGowan
May 12, 2025

NSW Opposition Leader Mark Speakman is refusing to say whether he will back legislation to amend the state’s abortion laws so experienced nurses and midwives can prescribe medical terminations up to nine weeks’ gestation.

The state’s lower house will this week vote on a bill put forward by NSW Greens MP Amanda Cohn to widen abortion access, after a NSW Health review found so-called “abortion deserts” across the state were undermining the landmark 2019 legislation which decriminalised it.

Continued: https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/liberal-leader-refuses-to-show-hand-on-contentious-abortion-bill-20250511-p5ly8d.html

12.05.2025

NSW abortion law: Shooters party signals it will oppose bill due to fears of ‘sex selection’

NSW abortion law: Shooters party signals it will oppose bill due to fears of 'sex selection'
Robert Borsak says lack of provisions to stop ‘gender selection’ means party will inevitably vote against it

Michael McGowan
Sat 10 Aug 2019

The powerful New South Wales upper house Shooters, Fishers and Farmers party won’t support a historic bill to decriminalise abortion in the state because of concern about a lack of provisions around so-called “sex selection” in the legislation.

Robert Borsak, one of two SFFP upper house MPs, told Guardian Australia on Saturday that the party would not support the bill without amendments aimed at preventing what he called “sex selection”, despite all three of its lower house MPs voting in favour of the bill when it passed on Thursday.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/aug/10/nsw-abortion-law-shooters-party-signals-it-will-oppose-bill-due-to-fears-of-sex-selection

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

Experts Slam ‘Insulting’ Misinformation About Abortion Decriminalisation Bill

Experts Slam 'Insulting' Misinformation About Abortion Decriminalisation Bill

Emma Brancatisano
Wed 07 Aug 2019

As debate intensifies around decriminalising abortion in NSW, the state's peak medical body is accusing opponents of "unfounded fearmongering".

MPs continued to debate a bill in the lower house on Wednesday which seeks to remove abortion from the state's criminal code, instead placing it into an appropriate healthcare framework.

Continued: https://10daily.com.au/news/politics/a190807mrauh/experts-slam-insulting-misinformation-about-abortion-decriminalisation-bill-20190807