Bill to restrict abortions later in pregnancy defeated in South Australia after emotional debate

Amendment would have watered down law to allow abortion only where it would save life of mother or another foetus, or for significant risk of abnormalities

Tory Shepherd
Thu 13 Nov 2025

A bill to restrict access to abortion after 22 weeks and six days has been defeated in the South Australian parliament.

The former One Nation MLC Sarah Game, who is now an independent, worked with the controversial anti-abortion activist Joanna Howe on the legislation that went before the SA parliament on Wednesday night.

It was voted down by 11 votes to eight.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/nov/13/south-australia-abortion-bill-restrict-late-term-defeated-voted-down

Abortion legislation voted down in South Australian Parliament

By Eva Blandis, Kathryn Bermingham
Nov 12, 2025

A new push to change South Australia's abortion laws to limit terminations after 23 weeks has been voted down in state parliament's upper house.

The vote was carried out at 9pm, with 11 members voting against and eight members voting for.

Upper House MP Sarah Game, an independent formerly of One Nation, launched the bill in September to place limits on abortions after 23 weeks.

Continued: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11-12/sa-abortion-voted-down/106001338

12.11.2025

AUSTRALIA – Upper House MP Sarah Game launches new push to change SA abortion laws

Exclusive by Kathryn Bermingham
Thursday 4 September

A renewed push to place new restrictions on abortion access in South Australia is set to be introduced to parliament, less than a year after the last debate over the state's pregnancy termination laws.

Upper House MP Sarah Game, an independent formerly of One Nation, will introduce a bill to place new limits on abortions after 23 weeks.

Continued: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09-05/sarah-game-introduces-new-abortion-bill-amendments/105734080

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

Protesting outside SA abortion clinics has been outlawed as new laws pass Parliament

Nov 11, 2020

Protesting outside South Australian abortion clinics has been outlawed after new laws passed the Upper House in State Parliament late last night.

The bill, which was passed about 10:00pm on Wednesday, makes it an offence to protest within 150 metres of an abortion clinic.

Continued: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-11-12/protesting-outside-abortion-clinics-outlawed-in-south-australia/12874852

Australia – Unique SA legal requirement adds hurdles for country women accessing abortions

By Evelyn Leckie and Georgia Roberts
Aug 8, 2020

Regional doctors in remote South Australia are joining lobbyists in Adelaide calling for abortion law reform to be pushed through Parliament urgently, saying the current laws are placing barriers to termination access, particularly for regional women.

Port Lincoln's Dr Anna Kearney is one of two GP registrars on the Eyre Peninsula who is qualified to prescribe the early medication 'abortion pill' RU486.

Continued: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-08-08/law-adds-hurdles-for-sa-women-accessing-abortions/12536186

How the US right-to-life movement is influencing the abortion debate in Australia

How the US right-to-life movement is influencing the abortion debate in Australia

August 21, 2019
Prudence Flowers

As the abortion decriminalisation bill gradually makes its way through the NSW parliament, opponents have been increasingly drawing on their long relationship with the right-to-life movement in the United States to lobby against the measure and try to push for more restrictive amendments.

This has been a trend in the anti-abortion movement in Australia for a while now. Activists have adopted some of the most successful elements of the US movement’s rhetoric and tactics in recent years in an effort to influence the debate in Australia.

Continued: https://theconversation.com/how-the-us-right-to-life-movement-is-influencing-the-abortion-debate-in-australia-121974

Australia – Law Reform Institute to consider abortion law reform

Law Reform Institute to consider abortion law reform

26.02.2019
Vickie Chapman MP

South Australia’s independent Law Reform Institute based at Adelaide of University has been asked by the State Government to consider changes to the State’s abortion laws with a view to improve access and modernise the practice in the State and with a view to making abortion a regulated medical procedure under health legislation as opposed to a criminal law issue.

Attorney-General, Vickie Chapman said the move was being undertaken as part of a broader review of abortion laws in South Australia, taking into account the wide views of the community.

Continued: https://premier.sa.gov.au/news/law-reform-institute-to-consider-abortion-law-reform

26.02.2019

South Australia abortion law

Anti-abortion flyers found in breach of South Australia electoral laws

Anti-abortion flyers found in breach of South Australia electoral laws

By Rebecca Puddy
Posted Feb 7, 2019

Anti-abortion campaigners say they have been ordered by the Electoral Commission of South Australia (ECSA) to stop letterboxing flyers and driving a mobile billboard around Adelaide.

The ECSA's decision comes ahead of Saturday's by-election in Cheltenham and Enfield. It follows legislation being introduced to Parliament late last year to remove abortion from the state's crimes act.

Continued; https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-02-08/anti-abortion-campaign-ordered-to-stop-ahead-of-by-election/10785096