NSW Greens’ abortion bill inches closer despite misinformation claims, significant amendments
A Bill to ensure legal access to abortions in remote and regional communities in one Australian state has passed a major hurdle.
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A Bill seeking to expand access to abortions in NSW, particularity in remote and regional communities, has reached a major milestone after passing the lower house, despite significant changes and claims of misinformation.
The Bill, introduced by upper house Greens MP Dr Amanda Cohn in February, would expand access to abortions by allowing nurse practitioners to supply medication to terminate pregnancies of up to nine weeks in gestation.
Since being introduced, the Bill has been significantly watered down with amendments specifying the endorsed nurse practitioners and midwives must have the needed skills and training to administer the drug, known as MS-2 Step.
Opponents of the Bill – including former prime minister Tony Abbott – have argued against forcing conscientious objectors to actively refer abortion services. That component was removed as the Bill made its way through parliament.
NSW Opposition Leader Mark Speakman on Wednesday said he would support the current, amended Bill, as did Labor Premier Chris Minns.
The lead-up to Wednesday’s vote was marred by allegations of misinformation, but ultimately passed without significant discourse in the lower house after two proposed amendments were shot down by a majority of MPs.
A third reading of the bill was passed 65 to 20.
It will now return to the Legislative Council.
Greens Newtown MP Jenny Leong thanked MPs for the vote.
“It’s wonderful to think that very, very soon, there will be better access to abortion care for people across the state of NSW as a result of the decision we are making today,” she said.
“Sometimes it feels like when you’re in this place that we will never get good outcomes for people in their communities, and sometimes we do really good work together.
“I feel like this debate has shown what we can do when we work together in the actually genuine interests of the community that we serve.”
In introducing the first reading of the Bill, Ms Leong said it was about “equity in access to reproductive healthcare – access to abortion services – and increased that access to women and people across the state of NSW”.
She urged MPs in the room to, despite their personal opinions, “actually consider whether or not you’re okay with the idea of people in the city having access to better services and more services … than those in regional and rural”
An amendment put forward by independent Wagga Wagga MP Joe McGirr requiring nurse practitioners or endorsed midwives have at least two years of experience was not supported by Health Minister Ryan Park or Liberal health spokeswoman Kellie Sloane.
The MPs raised the extensive training received by both nurses and midwives, including 5000 hours of clinical practise for nurse practitioners, with Ms Sloane saying the amendment “makes it even harder for access and equity in regional areas”.
“This amendment is unnecessary. It’s inconsistent with health data, ignores the expertise of nurse practitioners and endorsed midwives and it makes harder for our regional, remote communities to access this important healthcare,” she said.
They also noted the Bill as tabled was supported by peak medical bodies, including the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association, the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Family Planning Australia
Ultimately, the amendment was voted down by MPs.
As was a second amendment also put forward by Mr McGirr seeking a “certain requirement for training” prior to commencing of practise for endorsed midwives and qualified nurses undertaking terminations, facing similar opposition.
Mr Park said stipulating specific training requirements was not done with any other health service and would “mean NSW is inconsistent with the rest of our country and with national guidelines”, including the TGA guidelines.
Mr McGirr on both counts said he was not seeking to undermine the bill.
The Bill initially sought to ensure abortion services be provided across the state within a reasonable distance from residents’ homes, and would remove unnecessary reporting to health authorities about the termination.
It would also have empowered the Health Minister to compel public health services to comply with directions to offer abortion services and would require practitioners who object to abortion to refer a patient to someone who will.
Abortion was decriminalised in NSW only in 2019.
Nonetheless, hospitals in the regional centres of Queanbeyan, outside Canberra, and Orange were found to have banned abortions, prompting an apology during budget estimates from NSW Health secretary Susan Pearce.
Dr Cohn has previously said the intention of the Bill was to expand who could perform medical terminations which she said was necessary to bring legislation in-line with changes in 2023 to the national medicine regulator.
Its introduction has stirred fiery debate since it was tabled.
In a parliamentary debate last week, upper house Liberal MP Chris Rath compared abortion to the Nazi genocide of Jews, stating “it is bizarre that abortion is increasingly being categorised as a human right to health care”.
Mr Rath later that week apologised for the statement.
The Bill has also stirred protest on the steps outside parliament by anti-abortion campaigner Joanna Howe’s coalition, with a Wednesday night protest attended by Tony Abbott and the Catholic archbishop of Sydney, Anthony Fisher.
Opposition Leader Mark Speakman accused Dr Howe of “brazen bullying”, stating on Wednesday that he would “vote according to my conscience and balance difficult and sensitive ethical, social, moral and medical concerns”.
“I will not cave to brazen bullying like this nor to the Americanisation of NSW … I thank all constituents who have contacted me. I have carefully considered their sincere and varying views. I will therefore vote for the Bill,” he said.
“I think that, on balance, the Bill will make no material difference to the rate of abortion in NSW.
“It will not interfere with freedom of conscience and will probably lead to better, not worse, health outcomes for many pregnant women seeking abortions.”
Mr Speakman noted some objections were “based on misinformation” and that, despite stating he would not have supported the original bill, believed “The attacks on freedom of conscience and freedom of religion in the original bill have now been removed by successful amendments.”
Premier Minns earlier on Wednesday stated “enormous amounts of misinformation and lies that have been spread” on social media had “whipped up a lot of good people in the community believing that the reform changes, the legislative changes, are far more extensive than they are”.
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