In NSW, it's been five years since abortion was removed from the Crimes Act and regulated as health care, as it should be. 

It was a critical first step to ensuring safe and legal abortion is accessible across NSW. But since then, far too little has changed.

People who need an abortion are still impeded by cost, stigma, and geography. As a former prescriber of medical abortion I know all too well that this is medically very straightforward health care.

So many people fought for safe and legal access to abortion in NSW for so many years - but the United States is showing us how quickly that work can be undone. The best way to safeguard our hard work is to embed abortion within mainstream public health services.

Will you share your story with me?

What changes are needed?

• At least first-trimester surgical abortions should be provided at every public hospital in NSW that provides reproductive health services, by tying service provision to funding. If a hospital provides birthing services and can support someone experiencing a miscarriage, it can provide abortion. This will not only address the postcode lottery but also provide a level of privacy for people who may not feel comfortable or safe accessing a standalone reproductive health service.
• GPs should be supported to become medical abortion prescribers, so that people can access comprehensive reproductive health care in the community from a professional they already know and trust. This is medically straightforward but currently requires GPs to undertake additional training, unpaid and in their free time, because it is not a standard part of their training.
• Legislation in NSW needs updating so that:
  • Nurses and midwives with appropriate training can prescribe medical abortions, per TGA guidelines, up to 9 weeks gestation.
  • Onerous and bureaucratic mandatory reporting requirements, which don’t exist in legislation for other similar medical procedures, can be removed
  • Conscientious objection, an important provision, is only exercised as intended by individual practitioners and not weaponised by departments or institutions to obstruct access

I'm working on legislation that will make some of these changes in the NSW Parliament. Please contact me here if you'd like to be involved with the draft bill.

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The Greens will keep fighting until abortion is safe, legal, and free, in every corner of NSW

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