Abortion service delay slammed

The State Opposition has accused the Government of failing Tasmanian women over a lack of access to pregnancy termination services, renewing a call for abortions to be provided in the public system.

The State Opposition has accused the Government of failing Tasmanian women over a lack of access to pregnancy termination services, renewing a call for abortions to be provided in the public system.

Rumney Labor MLC Sarah Lovell slammed Health Minister Michael Ferguson over replacement service delays, attributing blame for the holdup to Mr Ferguson.

“The Government could have provided the service in the public system. They could have taken steps to make this service available in the state and there is no reason why they have not taken these steps,” she said.

Health Minister Michael Ferguson. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

“The minister has taken the most hands-off approach he possibly could to resolving this situation.

“It has been 12 months now since this legal medical procedure has been available for women to access around Tasmania at a low cost.”

Ms Lovell was responding to the latest delay to hit Hampton Park Women’s Health Care, a Melbourne-based provider that was expected to be operating low-cost abortions in Tasmania by last October.

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On Friday, a Health Department spokesman confirmed the latest delay but emphasised surgical abortion services were available in Tasmania as announced in November.

The spokesman said private hospital gynaecologists were delivering low-cost surgical terminations while capital works on the Hampton Park clinic were completed.

About 125 Tasmanian women accessed surgical termination at Marie Stopes clinics interstate between January and November last year.

Labor’s Sarah Lovell has criticised the Government about access to abortion services. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES