Access to abortion in NSW is set to become easier after the state’s parliament yesterday passed a bill enabling nurse practitioners and endorsed midwives to prescribe abortion medication, known as MS-2 Step, for pregnancies up to nine weeks.
The legislation, which aims to improve access to this essential healthcare for women in rural and regional areas – brings NSW in line with several other states and territories across the country including Queensland, which enacted legislation a year ago. Abortion has been legal in NSW since 2019.
Introduced by Upper House Greens MP Dr Amanda Cohn in February, the Bill’s passing marks another step forward in improved access.
“Abortion is healthcare – and while the law changes in 2019, access to care has not,” Dr Cohn said earlier this year.
“Changing laws won’t fix this problem by itself. The NSW government must also fund abortion services in public hospitals and adequately support health workers providing this care.
“[We’ll] keep fighting until abortion is safe, legal and free in every corner of NSW.”
In the lead up to this year’s federal election, 40 leading health and medical organisations, including the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF), released a joint statement calling on candidates and political parties to affirm their support for access to abortion as part of an ongoing commitment to essential healthcare.
The peaks outlined five key asks to strengthen abortion access:
- National leadership to affirm abortion as essential healthcare
- Ensuring the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) includes appropriate remuneration for healthcare providers to deliver affordable care
- Supporting workforce capacity building by working with medical and professional colleges providing sexual, reproductive and maternal healthcare training
- Ensuring public hospitals provide abortion care as part of standard, comprehensive reproductive health services
- Working with state and territory governments to implement all 36 recommendations from the Senate inquiry into universal access to reproductive healthcare
“We need better access to abortion to be included in ongoing investments in women’s health,” ANMF Federal Secretary Annie Butler said.
“We believe it’s crucial that women across Australia have access to abortion as essential healthcare.”
