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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1)
2019-09-25 Daily Xml
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International Safe Abortion Day

The Hon. I. PNEVMATIKOS (15:29): On 28 September, it is International Safe Abortion Day. Initially, the date commenced as a day of action to decriminalise abortion in Latin America and has grown to now being celebrated around the world in over 65 countries. The theme this year is 'Abortion is healthcare' and #MyAbortionMyHealth. This is based on recognition that abortion is an important element of women's reproductive lives and health. Further, it is integral to a woman's right to bodily autonomy.

The facts surrounding abortion law are as follows. One in two women around the world do not have access to safe and legal abortion. According to research estimates, unsafe abortions cause 47,000 deaths, and millions of women worldwide require surgery and/or treatment for complications arising from unsafe abortion. Finally, providing women with affordable access to family planning services, which would also incorporate provision of safe abortions, reduces the health risks women currently face.

In fact, a leading research and policy organisation committed to advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights, the US research and policy organisation, Guttmacher Institute, predicts that there would be around 14.5 million fewer unsafe abortions and 38,000 fewer deaths due to unsafe abortions annually just by providing proper access to contraceptives alone. Put simply, encouraging women to exercise their rights and responsibilities regarding sexual behaviour and reproduction, freely and with dignity, it contributes towards the important goal of gender equality.

This year marks the 125th year of women's suffrage, a celebration of progressive laws which has focused discussion on what we need to reduce inequalities and discrimination experienced by women. One way we can move closer towards redressing the imbalance is by addressing our retrograde laws in South Australia, which includes laws on abortion.

We have signed countless UN conventions and covenants involving abortion or reproductive rights. Yet, this year, the Morrison Liberal government failed to sign the UN International Women's Day statement despite its being backed by 57 other nation states. He turned our country away from a commitment to implement greater policies and legislation that respect the economic, social and political rights of women and girls.

Ironically, this was despite foreign minister Marise Payne advising the UN that gender equality was one of five guiding principles for Australia's time on the council just prior. Put adequately by Edwina MacDonald, the legal director for the Human Rights Law Centre:

No government can truly support gender equality and human rights without supporting access to safe abortions and reproductive rights.

Concerns are also growing in South Australia about the relocation of surgical abortion services from the Pregnancy Advisory Centre and Women's and Children's Hospital to The Queen Elizabeth Hospital. The combined closures have caused a significant blowout in waiting times for women seeking an abortion, which would undoubtedly have a significant impact on the mental health and wellbeing of the women.

The experiences of 'Nicole', which were reported recently by the ABC, are alarming. She was booked for a surgical procedure at 12 weeks despite being eligible for a medical abortion at five weeks. She was directed to the wrong floor of The QEH, treated without sensitivity by medical staff despite her obvious distress about having the procedure, was required to change in public toilets and not provided any pain relief.

We must thoroughly consider incidents such as Nicole's, as we have a duty of care to ensure our public health system is efficient, safe and non-discriminatory. We need to ensure our laws protect women and afford them proper health care. Abortion law reform goes to the heart of a policy and program of reducing discrimination and working towards gender equality. We are slowly making inroads with recent High Court authority affirming the legitimacy of safe zones. It is time we start redressing the imbalance as legislators.

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