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Abortion is healthcare: WHISE reaffirms support for reproductive autonomy and opposes the criminalisation of abortion seekers

Women's Health in the South East

Women’s Health in the South East (WHISE) welcomes the South Australian Parliament's decision to reject proposed restrictions on abortion after 25 weeks, describing the outcome as an important affirmation that reproductive healthcare should remain grounded in evidence, gender equality and human rights.

While the Bill was ultimately voted down in the Lower House, the debate has highlighted the need for continued vigilance in protecting reproductive rights and ensuring equitable access to abortion care across Australia. Abortion is essential healthcare, and every person has the right to make decisions about their own body, health and future free from stigma and criminalisation.

Legislation introduced by Family First MP Sarah Game to restrict abortion after 25 weeks of gestation was resoundingly defeated in the Lower House. WHISE welcomes the rejection of the proposed restrictions, recognising the outcome as an important affirmation of the right to bodily autonomy and access to evidence-based reproductive healthcare.  

While abortions later in pregnancy are uncommon, existing laws already provide robust clinical safeguards and require careful assessment by qualified medical practitioners. Decisions about abortion are complex healthcare matters that should be guided by medical evidence and the individual circumstances of the person involved, not by legislative restrictions that risk limiting access to essential care.

The introduction of this Bill is a regressive step that risks undermining reproductive autonomy and weakening access to abortion care, threatening rights that are fundamental to women's health and wellbeing. Policies affecting deeply personal healthcare decisions should be guided by evidence, compassion and human rights, rather than ideology.

Restricting access to abortion or introducing punitive measures does not prevent abortions from occurring. Instead, it creates barriers to timely care and increases the physical, emotional and financial burdens experienced by those seeking healthcare. These impacts are felt most by those already experiencing inequity, including people living in rural and regional areas, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, people experiencing poverty, young people, people with disabilities, migrant and refugee communities, and gender-diverse people.

WHISE supports policies that prioritise health equity and universal access to safe, legal and affordable abortion care. This includes:

• Increased and long-term investment in primary care and hospitals to address workforce shortages and support practitioner training to enable timely access to medical and surgical abortion.
• The establishment of a national taskforce on abortion care to ensure consistent and equitable access across all states and territories.
• Strengthened oversight and funding mechanisms to support universal access to sexual and reproductive healthcare through public hospitals and community-based services.
• Expanded access to medical and surgical abortion through primary care and public hospitals, including increased funding, training pathways and Medicare support.

WHISE believes that reproductive rights are fundamental human rights. People seeking abortion care should be supported, not penalised. Healthcare decisions belong with individuals and their clinicians, and every person deserves access to safe, evidence-based care without stigma, self-serving political interference and criminalisation.

We reiterate to our communities that abortion in Victoria is safe, legal and commonplace. We encourage women and gender-diverse people seeking local abortion services to contact 1800 My Options: https://www.1800myoptions.org.au/

Quote attributable to Kit McMahon, Chief Executive Officer, WHISE:

"Abortion is healthcare, and reproductive autonomy is a fundamental human right. Later abortions are rare and often occur in complex circumstances. People accessing abortion care deserve compassion and support, not stigma or criminalisation. We urge governments across Australia to prioritise evidence-based policy and ensure equitable access to safe, legal and affordable reproductive healthcare for everyone."

ENDS

About us:

ABOUT WHISE

 

WHISE is a leading health promotion and primary prevention organisation dedicated to improving women's health and wellbeing in the Southern Metropolitan Region of Melbourne. WHISE forms part of a network of Women’s Health Services across Victoria. Working in partnership with various stakeholders, WHISE advocates for gender equity, conducts research, delivers health promotion initiatives, and provides capacity-sharing support to enhance the delivery of women's health services. For more information, visit www.whise.org.au  

Contact details:

WHISE Communications Lead: Doseda Hetherington 0412 317 334.