Hon. Maryka Groenewald asks about abortions among Pacific labour mobility stream visa holders and government measures to prevent coercion. The Minister for Health responds that WA Health doesn't track the requested data but outlines existing family and domestic violence screening and training programs.

AnsweredQoN 789Legislative Council
Asked
18 September 2025
Portfolio
Health

QuestionView source ↗

Abortions—Pacific labour mobility stream visas
789. Hon Maryka Groenewald to the parliamentary secretary representing the Minister
for Health:
I refer to a 19 June
2025 ABC report indicating that hundreds of migrant women on Pacific Australia Labour
Mobility stream visas have undergone unwanted abortions due to visa and work-related
pressures.
(1) How many visa holders in Australia have
accessed these services?
(2) What steps will the government take to ensure
that migrant women are not pressured or coerced into these procedures?

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the
honourable member for some notice of the question. The following answer has
been provided by the Minister for Health.
(1) This information is not held within WA Health.
(2) WA Health frontline staff regularly screen for
family and domestic violence, including for coercive control. Mandatory
training is provided to WA Health staff in antenatal, postnatal, mental health and
emergency departments. Training is also made available to health service
providers, migrant and refugee services, University of Western Australia
medical students and community health and non-government organisations. Social
workers are trained in family and domestic violence identification, assessment
and intervention, as well as trauma-informed practice.

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