Abortion dismay crosses the floor of Australian parliament

The decision to roll back women’s right to abortion in some US states has been labelled a “step backwards for women” by Australian MPs.

Protesters gather in the wake of the decision overturning Roe v. Wade outside the US Supreme Court in Washington, DC.Picture: Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images/AFP

The decision to roll back women’s right to abortion in some US states has been labelled a “step backwards for women” by Australian MPs who say they share the “anger and frustration” of those facing the repercussions of the decision.

The Supreme Court at the weekend overturned the landmark Roe v Wade case from the 1970s, which gave women the right to terminate their pregnancy. The move gives states back the power to ban abortions, with 26 of them expected to do so immediately.

Women Katie Gallagher. Picture: Tim Hunter

Women Minister Katy Gallagher said the decision was “really disappointing” and would be felt “right around the world”.

“I think after so many years fighting to maintain rights to have access to safe and legal abortion, clearly this is going to be a very decisive issue in America,” Senator Gallagher said on Weekend Today.

“It will disproportionately affect poor women and women from socially disadvantaged backgrounds.”

Deputy Liberal Party leader Sussan Ley echoed the comments of Bill Clinton that abortion should be “safe, legal and rare”.

“This has been a step backwards for women in the US,” she said on Sky News.

She said the focus needed to be on educating women, not criminalising the procedure.

Deputy Liberal Party leader Sussan Ley. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Martin Ollman

But Christian Schools Australia director of public policy Mark Spencer said while educating young women around issues of consent and sexuality had received “a lot of attention recently”, it was only part of the solution.

“Pregnancy is not merely the responsibility of women, young or old, there are two people involved, and men, young and old, need guidance and modelling of appropriate behaviours,” he said.

Education Minister Jason Clare said he shared the “anger and frustration” of those waking up to the decision in the US.

“I'm thinking at the moment for women who live in some of those states – they’re basically being told today that if you want to have an abortion, then get on a bus and travel a couple of hundred kilometres,” Mr Clare said on Sky News.

Australian Federation of Islamic Councils president Rateb Jneid said he felt “indifferent” about the decision. “(It’s) too early to tell … We will wait and see,” he told The Australian.

But Nationals senator Matt Canavan welcomed the move on Saturday.

“A wonderful day to protect human life,” he tweeted.

The Human Rights Law Centre said the decision in the US “highlighted the need for vigilance in Australia”.

Centre associate legal director Adrianne Walters said access to abortion was a human right and women shouldn’t fear prosecution for terminating a pregnancy.

“What has happened in the US has not happened overnight,” Ms Walters said.