Andrews government to vote against pro-abortion Bill

The Health Minister has hit back over revelations the government will vote against a pro-abortion Bill, saying it wouldn’t back a Bill that proposes cutting public health funding.

Fiona Patten is pushing for a Bill that would make it illegal for publicly funded religious hospitals to refuse abortions. Picture: David Crosling

The Andrews government will vote against legislation that would ban publicly funded religious hospitals from refusing to perform abortions or end-of-life treatments.

A private members Bill, introduced by Reason Party leader Fiona Patten in a bid to “protect and extend fundamental human rights”, will be debated on Wednesday.

Under the laws, hospitals that receive any taxpayer funds would be required to offer the services. It would also extend to euthanasia for terminally ill patients who wish to die.

The legislation specifically targets denominational hospitals – such as those in Werribee and Heidelberg, which operate under the Mercy Health banner – that refuse to carry out the procedures.

Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas. Picture: David Crosling

Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas, who has been a passionate advocate in a woman’s right to choose, on Wednesday baulked at questions regarding religious influence over decisions made at hospitals operating under the Mercy banner, reaffirming the government would continue supporting public health as it always had.

“Here in the city, there are many options for women,” Ms Thomas told reporters.

“We have, here in Victoria, the most progressive laws in the nation when it comes to ensuring that women can access the sexual reproductive health services that they need, including access to termination of pregnancy.

“Our government will not support a Bill that proposes cutting funding to public health services.”

But Ms Patten said the Bill did not stipulate funding cuts to hospitals refusing to support terminations, explaining the government would have the freedom to decide on the ramifications.

“My Bill in no way threatens the funding,” Ms Patten said.

“My Bill insists that all hospitals should provide the treatment that doctors want to provide to their patients.

“It would be up to the government to decide whether that would impact their funding.”

The Andrews government says it ‘will not support proposals to remove funding from any public health services.’ Picture: David Crosling

On Tuesday night, Ms Thomas confirmed to the Herald Sun that the government would not support Ms Patten’s Bill.

While the government has a practice not to support any private members Bills, Ms Thomas said the legislation appeared to propose “funding cuts”.

“It seems that Fiona Patten is proposing funding cuts to public health services if they do not or cannot meet her expectations of what a public health service should provide,” she said.

“We are not in the business of cutting funding to public health services in Victoria – indeed the absolute opposite.

“Ms Patten needs to explain to health services how she would implement these changes.”

Ms Patten on Tuesday night confirmed she would put her bill to a vote in the upper house, in a move that she says will force the government to “either support or undermine women’s rights to determine their own reproductive health”.

“There is no moral defence to vote no,” she said.

“Failure to support this legislation would be a cruel loss for women, and a loss for free and fair sexual reproductive health services.”

Ms Patten said her proposed laws would have “zero impact” on the rights of individual medicos to refuse certain services on the basis of personal religious conviction or conscientious objection.

But it would mean that doctors in these hospitals would not be prevented from providing the care they believed was in their patient’s best interest, just because of the religious direction of their employer.

“The government claims to champion women’s rights,” Ms Patten added.

“Will they have the courage of their convictions, or will the power of the Catholic Church trump principle with an election around the corner?”