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Position Statement on Roe v Wade

ACCESS TO LEGAL, SAFE, TIMELY AND COMPASSIONATE ABORTION CARE IS ESSENTIALΒ HEALTHCARE AND WE NEED MEASURES TO PROTECT REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS Β Β 

The following Australian organisations and individuals voice their support for reproductive rights and access to legal, safe, timely and compassionate abortion. Β 

We believe that the US Supreme Court overturning Roe v Wade and threatening access to legal abortion in the United States of America would be detrimental for millions of women, girls and anyone who may need to seek an abortion. Any action to go backwards in reproductive rights is against the global trend of making access to abortion easier and more secure. Β 

Abortion is an essential aspect of reproductive healthcare and rights. Access to abortion has been determined by the United Nations Human Rights Committee, and others, to be a basic human right.Β 

While all jurisdictions in Australia have laws providing for legal access to abortion, and safe access to clinics; barriers to abortion access in Australia remain and are based on how governments have implemented this healthcare within public health systems. Abortion is yet to be properly decriminalised in South Australia and Western Australia. We call on the SA and WA Governments to finally remove abortion from their criminal statute books. Β 

Access to this vital health service should not depend on your postcode, class, race, gender or ability.

We call upon state, territory and federal government in Australia to embed this essential reproductive healthcare into our public health services, to ensure everyone who needs it can access compassionate and timely care.Β 

Each person knows what the best choice is for themselves, for their health, their body and their future. They should be able to feel safe and in control of their bodies and be free to decide whether and when to have a child.Β 

A person who needs to end their pregnancy shouldn’t have to travel hundreds of kilometres from home, or cross state borders or take on medical debt, to access the healthcare they need and is capable of being provided locally within public healthcare systems. Healthcare professionals should be able to practice in safe workplaces to provide theirΒ patients with the best care possible – without fear of criminal charges or concerns around public retribution.Β 

Β We stand in solidarity with healthcare professionals who provide abortion care and every person who has accessed an abortion, or may need to in the future. Β 

We support access to legal, safe, timely, compassionate healthcare and protections for reproductive rights in conjunctionΒ with supporting bodily autonomy and reproductive justice.Β 

Signatories to Statement

Organisations

Organisations

  • Children by ChoiceΒ 
  • Human Rights Law Centre Β 
  • Fair AgendaΒ 
  • Women with Disabilities Australia Β 
  • ASHMΒ 
  • SPHERE Β 
  • Sexual Health and Family Planning ACT (SHFPACT) Β 
  • Mackay Women’s ServicesΒ 
  • Women’s Health and Equality Queensland Β 
  • Women’s Health VictoriaΒ 
  • The Centre for Women & CoΒ 
  • Respect IncΒ 
  • Reproductive Choice AustraliaΒ 
  • Women’s Health MattersΒ 
  • Iris EducationΒ 
  • National Foundation for Australian WomenΒ 
  • WWILD Sexual Violence Prevention Association IncΒ 
  • Micah ProjectsΒ 
  • Domestic Violence Action Centre Β 
  • Queensland Sexual Assault NetworkΒ 
  • March4JusticeΒ Β 
  • Australian GreensΒ 
  • Socialist AllianceΒ 
  • Marie Stopes AustraliaΒ 
  • Women for AustraliaΒ 
  • The ParenthoodΒ 
  • Families Magazine Β 
  • Doctors Reform SocietyΒ 
  • Our Bodies Our Choices Β 
  • Women’s Electoral LobbyΒ 
  • Full Stop AustraliaΒ 
  • Women’s Community SheltersΒ 
  • Queensland Women’s Health Network IncΒ 
  • Anti Poverty CentreΒ 
  • Team TrickΒ 
  • Across the CloudΒ 

Individuals

  • Professor Heather DouglasΒ 
  • Professor Caroline de Costa MBBSΒ  BA MPH PhD FRANZCOG FRCOG Β 
  • Dr Fiona Mack Β 
  • Dr Caroline Harvey MBBS (Hons) MPH MPM Grad Dip Sexology DRANZCOG FRACGPΒ 
  • Dr Kay Strom MBBS (Hons) FRACGP Β 
  • Dr Lois Macfarlane MRCGP DRCOG DFRSH MRACGP – Brookside Medical Centre Β 
  • Dr Melissa Brown – Thirroul Medical PracticeΒ 
  • Dr. Lesley Barron, MD, MPhil, FRACSΒ 
  • Dr Judith Dean – RN, Midwife, BN, MPHTM, Centaur FellowΒ 
  • Dr Aneesa Taylor FRACGP, MBBS, DCHΒ 
  • Associate Professor Melissa Kang MBBS MCH PhDΒ 
  • Dr Jessica Phillips-Yelland MBBS BSc DRANZCOG Adv DCH CACEMΒ 
  • Dr Amanda CohnΒ BA BMed MD CertEM MPH(Epi) MIPH FRACGPΒ 
  • Fiona MARTIN – RN/RMΒ  Β 
  • Annette HamiltonΒ – RNΒ 
  • Geraldine KIRK –Β RN/RMΒ 
  • Sarah THORNTON –Β EENΒ 
  • Dr Catriona MELVILLEΒ – Deputy Medical director at Marie Stopes AustraliaΒ 
  • Ashleigh LAWRENCE –Β RNΒ  Β 
  • Dr Andrew HAIG Β Β 
  • Kamila HEJRETOVA –Β RNΒ  Β 
  • Jessica Barnes RN/RMΒ  Β 
  • Talay Quinlan – Clinical nurse Β 
  • Dr Vasudha Iyengar – FRANZCOGΒ 
  • Dr Merri Andrew Β 
  • Dr Claire Rogers BSc MIH PhD (International Health)Β 
  • Anasua Misha Datta, GPΒ 
  • Dr Meng Mei Phua FRACGP MBBS SCHP CWHΒ 
  • Emily Mayo – reproductive rights campaigner and coordinator of #ArrestUs Β 
  • Associate Professor Barbara Baird – Co-Convenor SA Abortion Action Coalition (saaac). Women’s & Gender Studies, Flinders University Β 
  • Associate Professor Suzanne Belton 2019 PHAA winner in Leadership and Advocacy for abortion service reformΒ 
  • Penny Sharpe MP Β 
  • Sue Boyce, former Qld LNP senatorΒ 
  • Adam Bandt MPΒ 
  • Senator Larissa WatersΒ 
  • Senator Sarah Hanson-YoungΒ 
  • Senator Peter Whish-WilsonΒ 
  • Senator Janet RiceΒ 
  • Senator Dorinda CoxΒ 
  • Senator Lidia ThorpeΒ 
  • Senator Jordon Steele-JohnΒ 
  • Senator Nick McKimΒ 
  • Senator Mehreen FaruqiΒ 
  • Jenny Leong MPΒ 
  • Abigail Boyd MLCΒ 
  • Tamara Smith MPΒ 
  • Jamie Parker MPΒ 
  • Sue Higginson MLC-electΒ 
  • Cate Faehrmann MLCΒ 
  • Tammy Franks MLCΒ 
  • Rob Simms MLCΒ 
  • Sarah Ratcliffe, The University of Sydney Β 
  • Nancy CramondΒ 
  • Ritamay RobertsΒ 
  • Dineli Kalansuriya, 2ndΒ Year Medical Student, University of QueenslandΒ 
  • Dianne MillerΒ 
  • Brooke SonterΒ 
  • Jennifer GilchristΒ 
  • Shaz Harrison-WilliamsΒ 
  • Megan McKenzieΒ 
  • Stephanie ChenΒ 
  • Sarah BurnsΒ 
  • Anna FranklinΒ 
  • Ella LeeΒ 
  • Amora LauΒ 
  • Dr Matthew BerrymanΒ 
  • Chloe BerrymanΒ 
  • Lizzy PorterΒ 
  • Simone DejunΒ 
  • Emma Iwinska
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There are lots of public hospitals and services across the state that provide termination of pregnancy services free of charge. To find out if your local hospital is providing this service you can contact your hospital direct or call Children by Choice.

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