In many ways, this state likes to consider itself at the forefront of the country.
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Yet there are particular instances that it couldn’t be further from the truth.
Some of our archaic legislation is a case in point.
It is confronting to think that NSW is the last state in the country to decriminalise abortion.
Yes, technically under the NSW Crimes Act, abortion is illegal and is only permissible under limited circumstances such as when the pregnancy threatens the health of a woman.
Last week Queensland changed its laws and the move was widely applauded around the nation.
In response to Queensland’s move NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said she would be open to considering proposed changes to the NSW laws.
Why wait, Premier?
Take the initiative.
Illawarra Women’s Health Centre general manager Sally Stevenson called on others to follow the lead of NSW Opposition leader Luke Foley who pledged a Labor Government would review the state’s laws.
“The law stems from 1900 – it’s 118 years old – and it was qualified in 1971 to say ‘with the permission of a doctor’, who has to assure the system that the woman wants to terminate, otherwise it would have a material impact on her physical or mental health,” Ms Stevenson told the Illawarra Mercury.
“In effect what it means is that the woman does not have autonomy over her body – that unless she gets the permission of a doctor then having a termination is unlawful and there’s the potential for prosecution.
“And it sends a very strong message to the community that a woman’s body is not her own in terms of pregnancy options and reproductive health and rights, which is a really damning message.”
Premier, the right thing to do is to act.
These laws are archaic and are not reflective of the expectations of modern times.
It’s high time NSW got with the times and fully decriminalised abortion.
Access to a safe, affordable and legal abortion should be a right for all women in NSW.
