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/

Australia – Health bodies call for end to ‘regressive’ QLD abortion debate

The RACGP has signed a joint statement expressing concerns over plans to recriminalise abortion, labelling it a ‘harmful step backward’.

21 Oct 2024
Chelsea Heaney

Abortion legislation has become an unexpected fixture in the Queensland election after one politician announced they would be introducing a repeal bill. Debate over abortion access ahead of the Queensland election this weekend has triggered a cross-organisational response, with several peak health bodies labelling any roll backs in protections ‘not only regressive but dangerous’.

On Monday, the RACGP released a joint statement alongside the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG), True Relationships and Reproductive Health Queensland, Queensland Sexual Assault Network, Women’s Health Services Alliance Queensland, Family Planning Alliance Australia, and Children by Choice.

Continued: https://www1.racgp.org.au/newsgp/clinical/health-bodies-call-for-end-to-regressive-qld-abort

Is abortion really on the ballot again in Australia? State politics indicates it could be

By Q+A and RN Breakfast host Patricia Karvelas
Oct 20, 2024

Fierce debates about abortion have been raging in two Australian states during the past few weeks, leaving many scratching their heads wondering why it's suddenly part of Australian political discourse again.

In Australia, all states and territories have decriminalised abortion, but in the United States it's a different matter. Since 2022, 21 states have banned or restricted abortion to lower than the standard set by Roe v Wade, which protected reproductive rights for nearly half a century until it was spectacularly dumped by the Supreme Court.

Continued: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-21/abortion-debate-in-queensland-and-south-australia-politics/104489634

Australia – Greens accuse Queensland Labor of ‘pure hypocrisy’ on abortion after Katter party election preferences

ALP how to vote cards in northern electorates put LNP last despite Robbie Katter’s vow to attempt wind back of termination laws

Ben Smee
Tue 15 Oct 2024

The Greens say Queensland Labor’s decision to direct preferences to Katter’s Australia Party candidates in north Queensland electorates is “absolute pure hypocrisy”, amid the ongoing debate over abortion laws.

Robbie Katter, the KAP leader, has vowed to introduce a private member’s bill to wind back abortion rights and access, that would notionally spark a conscience vote.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/oct/15/queensland-state-election-abortion-policy-labor-lnp-robbie-katter

15.10.2024

Queensland abortion law

Abortion has become a surprise topic ahead of Queensland’s election. What are the rules across Australia?

By Emma Pollard
Oct 14, 2024

Abortion has become a surprise subject of debate in the Queensland election – putting an issue that many Australians might have thought was settled, back on the national agenda.

If the polls are correct, the Liberal National Party (LNP) will sweep Queensland Labor out of office on October 26, re-electing a swathe of MPs who voted to keep abortion in the criminal code in 2018 and ushering in some candidates who've publicly expressed anti-abortion views.

Continued: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-15/abortion-queensland-election-kap-lnp-women-health/104468956

14.10.2024

Liberal National Party

Queensland abortion law

Australia – Abortion wasn’t on the Queensland election agenda. So why is it now a threat to the LNP campaign?

Two weeks ago, suggestions David Crisafulli’s opposition had a ‘secret plan’ to limit abortion rights were dismissed as just a scare campaign. Now, not so much

Ben Smee, Queensland state correspondent
Sat 12 Oct 2024

On front doorsteps in Brisbane’s middle suburbs, LNP candidates campaigning for the upcoming Queensland election have started getting questions about abortion. “It’s becoming an issue … in places we thought we might win,” says one party member.

Two weeks ago, as the Queensland election campaign began, Labor social media posts suggesting the LNP had a “secret plan” to limit abortion rights and access were dismissed as a scare campaign.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/oct/13/queensland-election-2024-lnp-abortion-policy-david-crisafulli

12.10.2024

Queensland abortion law

Did Katter’s Australian Party just make abortion a Queensland election issue?

By Matt Eaton
Wednesday 9 October

Abortion will almost certainly become an issue in Queensland parliament again if an LNP government is elected later this month. Less than a decade after it was decriminalised, the debate this time would be about whether to reinstate abortion as a criminal offence.

LNP leader David Crisafulli's oft-repeated mantra that it's "not part of our plan, I'm ruling it out" fails to address the likely sequence of future events.

Continued: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-10/qld-abortion-analysis-kap-election-debate/104450992

09.10.2024

Queensland abortion law

Australia – Will abortion rights be wound back in Queensland if the LNP wins the election?

The Liberal National party were broadly against legalising abortion when it was passed Labor in 2018, but leader David Crisafulli has vowed to maintain the status quo

Andrew Messenger
Mon 30 Sep 2024

Debate over Queensland’s abortion laws has made headlines ahead of this week’s official start to the state election campaign.

With pro-choice groups marching in the streets and billboards warning of an end to safe abortion services, Queenslanders might be forgiven for wondering if abortion rights are on the ballot on 26 October.

But is the Liberal National party actually planning to change abortion laws if it wins government?

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/sep/30/queensland-state-election-abortion-liberal-national-party-policy-leaders-david-crisafulli

30.09.2024

Queensland abortion law

Queensland Liberal National party

Susanna Damianopoulos

Queensland election: LNP tries to keep anti-abortion push out of sight

Deb Frecklington seeks broad support in a state that backs abortion rights, but some LNP MPs and poll candidates are pressing for a more divisive approach

Ben Smee
Fri 16 Oct 2020

At a campaign stop this week, the Queensland opposition leader, Deb Frecklington, was asked about the Liberal National party’s policy to review the state’s abortion laws. She quickly changed the subject.

“I haven’t got the details of that yet, it’s not a priority,” Frecklington said.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/oct/17/why-queenslands-opposition-leader-wants-partys-anti-abortion-push-kept-out-of-election-sight

Queensland’s abortion law change improved access but ‘postcode lottery’ remains

Queensland's abortion law change improved access but 'postcode lottery' remains
Decriminalisation’s effect has varied across the state, but overall it has been judged ‘good news’

Ben Smee
Mon 5 Aug 2019

Seven months after the state voted to decriminalise abortion, there remains a “postcode lottery” in Queensland for women attempting to access termination services, but overall the effect is being seen as positive.

As New South Wales prepares to vote this week on a decriminalisation bill, the last Australian state to do so, doctors and support services in Queensland say access has improved in many places but demand for services has not increased.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/aug/06/queenslands-abortion-law-change-improved-access-but-postcode-lottery-remains