❓ The Minister for Health outlines how the Abortion Legislation Reform Bill 2023 aims to modernise abortion laws in WA by streamlining processes, removing barriers, and providing a more compassionate approach, shaped by community input and medical practitioners.
AnsweredQoN 418Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ABORTION LEGISLATION
REFORM BILL 2023
418. Ms R.S. STEPHENS to the Minister for Health:
I refer to the WA Labor government's
commitment to modernising Western Australian abortion laws. Can the minister outline
to the house how the Abortion Legislation Reform Bill 2023 that was introduced
into the house today will strengthen protections for Western Australians
seeking lawful health care, and can the minister advise the house how this bill
has been shaped by Western Australian medical practitioners?
REFORM BILL 2023
418. Ms R.S. STEPHENS to the Minister for Health:
I refer to the WA Labor government's
commitment to modernising Western Australian abortion laws. Can the minister outline
to the house how the Abortion Legislation Reform Bill 2023 that was introduced
into the house today will strengthen protections for Western Australians
seeking lawful health care, and can the minister advise the house how this bill
has been shaped by Western Australian medical practitioners?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Albany for
her question. As many members have seen today, a bill was introduced a couple
of hours ago that will modernise abortion laws in Western Australia. Essentially,
it will streamline the process for women of Western Australia. It will remove
clinically unnecessary barriers for women in Western Australia. It will provide
a more compassionate approach to late-term abortion, providing more time for
women to make what is often a very, very difficult decision for them and their
families.
Women
will be able to self-refer up to 23 weeks with no referral required. After 23
weeks, two medical practitioners will need to be satisfied. Mandatory
counselling will be removed, the ministerial panel will be removed and all
these processes will be brought into line with best practice in medicine and
informed consent. Medical practitioners are well educated on how to obtain
informed consent from their patients. They do not need to go through another
process of so-called counselling or tutoring, if you like. This will provide
earlier access for women who are seeking a termination, whether medical or
surgical, and better access for women seeking a termination over 23 weeks,
hopefully limiting the need for women to travel.
Importantly, this bill has been
shaped by the community, largely women, and by medical practitioners who will
have to operate under this framework. It is important that clinicians have a clear
legal framework under which they are operating in health care, but particularly
in this area. Part of the consultation involved two clinical round tables with representatives from the Australian Medical
Association, the Royal Australian College of General P ractitioners,
senior midwives, experienced clinicians who work in this area, and clinicians
from other jurisdictions—one from the Northern Territory and one from
Victoria. There were two round tables at which we really worked through what
works and what does not work in other jurisdictions. By and large, all these
policy principles were agreed by consensus by those clinicians around the
table. Of course, not every clinician will want to be involved, and there is the
opportunity for clinicians to exempt themselves from the process, similar to
the one in place for voluntary assisted dying. They have to declare their
objection and either refer to a clinician who will support a woman or provide prescribed information to them. This is an
important bill for women in Western Australia and for those who operate
in this area, such as obstetrics and gynaecology, and support women in this
field. I am certainly committed to a very constructive and respectful debate in
both chambers and look forward to the outcome of the bill.
her question. As many members have seen today, a bill was introduced a couple
of hours ago that will modernise abortion laws in Western Australia. Essentially,
it will streamline the process for women of Western Australia. It will remove
clinically unnecessary barriers for women in Western Australia. It will provide
a more compassionate approach to late-term abortion, providing more time for
women to make what is often a very, very difficult decision for them and their
families.
Women
will be able to self-refer up to 23 weeks with no referral required. After 23
weeks, two medical practitioners will need to be satisfied. Mandatory
counselling will be removed, the ministerial panel will be removed and all
these processes will be brought into line with best practice in medicine and
informed consent. Medical practitioners are well educated on how to obtain
informed consent from their patients. They do not need to go through another
process of so-called counselling or tutoring, if you like. This will provide
earlier access for women who are seeking a termination, whether medical or
surgical, and better access for women seeking a termination over 23 weeks,
hopefully limiting the need for women to travel.
Importantly, this bill has been
shaped by the community, largely women, and by medical practitioners who will
have to operate under this framework. It is important that clinicians have a clear
legal framework under which they are operating in health care, but particularly
in this area. Part of the consultation involved two clinical round tables with representatives from the Australian Medical
Association, the Royal Australian College of General P ractitioners,
senior midwives, experienced clinicians who work in this area, and clinicians
from other jurisdictions—one from the Northern Territory and one from
Victoria. There were two round tables at which we really worked through what
works and what does not work in other jurisdictions. By and large, all these
policy principles were agreed by consensus by those clinicians around the
table. Of course, not every clinician will want to be involved, and there is the
opportunity for clinicians to exempt themselves from the process, similar to
the one in place for voluntary assisted dying. They have to declare their
objection and either refer to a clinician who will support a woman or provide prescribed information to them. This is an
important bill for women in Western Australia and for those who operate
in this area, such as obstetrics and gynaecology, and support women in this
field. I am certainly committed to a very constructive and respectful debate in
both chambers and look forward to the outcome of the bill.
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