Historic bill to decriminalise abortion introduced to NSW parliament
Hundreds of pro-life supporters have rallied outside state parliament as independent MP Alex Greenwich introduced an historic bill to decriminalise abortion in NSW.
NSW
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Independent MP Alex Greenwich has introduced a historic bill to decriminalise abortion in NSW as hundreds of pro-life supporters rally against the proposed reforms.
Mr Greenwich received a standing ovation after presenting the Reproductive Health Care Reform Bill 2019 to the lower house this morning.
It follows a tumultuous week in NSW parliament after conservative Liberal MPs pressured Premier Gladys Berejiklian to delay the bill in a heated party room meeting.
The bill, which has 15 co-sponsors from all sides of politics, would allow abortion upon request from a registered doctor up to 22-weeks gestation.
The procedures would still be legal beyond 22-weeks, however women will need the approval of two doctors who will determine whether they have a valid medical reason.
It will also make it a criminal offence for a person who is not a doctor to perform or assist in a termination with a maximum penalty of seven years imprisonment.
Mr Greenwich warned the threat of prosecution of women and health care professionals under the currently legislation “is real”.
The proposed reforms would remove abortion from the state’s 119-year-old criminal code and create a stand-alone healthcare act to regulate the procedure.
“As recently as August 2017, a Blacktown mother of five was prosecuted for self administering a drug to cause a miscarriage,” Mr Greenwich said in the chamber this morning.
“If the law is left unchanged, the courts can continue to interpret what does and does not constitute a lawful termination with no guidance from the parliament in over one hundred years.
“The threat of conviction can obviously create fear and stigma for women wanting an abortion and reluctance by health practitioners to provide services or even advice to women about their options.”
NSW is the only place in Australia that has not decriminalised abortion law or clarified what constitutes a lawful termination.
About 200 protesters picketed outside NSW parliament ahead of the bill being presented at an anti-abortion “Rally for Life”.
Some held signs that read “human dignity begins at conception” while others wrote that “women deserve better”.
Debates on the bill — which were expected to start today — have been pushed back until next Tuesday following backlash from churches and conservative MPs.