Abortion in Queensland in the 21st century

3 February 2025
Caroline de Costa

It is hoped that the incoming Queensland Government keep Queensland on the path to safe and fully accessible reproductive health care for all women and pregnant people within the public sector.

Throughout the 20th century, abortion remained in the criminal legislation of all Australian states and territories, despite efforts to decriminalise laws and provide safe abortion care that began in the 1960s. Only in the 21st century has Australia seen real change in abortion law: from 2000 to 2024, all jurisdictions have decriminalised abortion. Although much remains to be done, there has been improved provision of safe accessible abortion care, including early medical abortion in many parts of the country, lessening of the stigma long associated with abortion, teaching of medical students and doctors about abortion, and promotion and publication of research around the topic.

Continued: https://insightplus.mja.com.au/2025/4/abortion-in-queensland-in-the-21st-century/


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


Australia: These Surgery Raids Show The Risks Of Abortion Remaining In The Criminal Code

These Surgery Raids Show The Risks Of Abortion Remaining In The Criminal Code

“It was something we knew could happen at any time, but we didn’t think it ever really would.”

posted on Mar. 5, 2017
by Gina Rushton
BuzzFeed News Reporter, Australia

Queensland surgeon Dr David Grundmann went to work on the morning of May 20, 1985, at the Townsville clinic at which he was the medical director. By midday he was holed up in a police station.

“It came completely out of the blue when the police came into the premises and requested that everything be stopped, produced a search warrant and charged me with performing illegal abortions,” Grundmann, 70, told BuzzFeed News.

Continued at source: Buzzfeed: https://www.buzzfeed.com/ginarushton/these-surgery-raids-show-the-risks-of-abortion-remaining-in?utm_term=.drpMXRYQK9#.ck5ZnxXYB7