NSW parliament is debating abortion again. Here's what it means for you
Abortion services could be expanded in NSW if a vote in parliament is passed this week.
The legislation would allow nurses and midwives to prescribe medical terminations.
Currently, only a medical practitioner could prescribe a medical abortion in NSW.
The bill, introduced by Greens MP Amanda Cohn, a former medical abortion provider, was initially much broader in scope.
Dr Cohn told ACM, publisher of this masthead, that although abortion was decriminalised in NSW in 2019 it was still not widely accessible.
"People are still travelling hundreds of kilometres or forking out hundreds or thousands of dollars to access the private system," she said.
The initial bill would have legally required doctors with moral objections to abortion to refer a patient to another practitioner.
It also stipulated that abortion be provided within a "reasonable distance" of people's homes, regardless of where they lived.
That's all been scrapped after failing to pass the upper house.
Another section lifting some mandatory reporting requirements was not passed either.
The bill in its current form allows nurse practitioners and endorsed midwives to prescribe the abortion pill MS-2 Step to women up to nine weeks in their pregnancy.
The legislation passed by 25 votes to 15 in the NSW upper house on May 8 with the support of most Labor, Greens and Nationals MPs.
The bill was introduced to the lower house on May 13.
Labor and the Coalition are allowing MPs to have a conscience vote on the issue.
Liberal leader Mark Speakman won't reveal his position on the matter.
In a statement, he told ACM that abortion was a sensitive issue where people hold "strong and sincere but different views".
"The joint party room is allowing a free vote so that each Coalition MP can decide based on their own conscience," he said.
NSW Premier Chris Minns told reporters he would support the bill given that the conscientious objective amendment had now been dropped.
He was initially against the bill.
"I think stripping the conscientious objection provisions as the original Greens bill had in place was a step too far," he said.
"I think it would have driven some doctors out of the profession, the opposite of what we need and want."
Yes
Scott Barrett (Nationals)
Sue Higginson (Greens)
Jacqui Munro (Liberals)
Abigail Boyd (Greens)
Emma Hurst (Animals Justice)
Cameron Murphy (Labor)
Jeremy Buckingham (Legalise Cannabis Party)
Rose Jackson (Labor)
Bob Nanva (Labor)
Mark Buttigieg (Labor)
Sarah Kaine (Greens)
Nichole Overall (Nationals)
Amanda Cohn (Greens)
Stephen Lawrence (Labor)
Peter Primrose (Labor)
Anthony D'Adam (Labor)
Sarah Mitchell (Nationals)
Penny Sharpe (Labor)
Cate Faehrmann (Greens)
Daniel Mookhey (Labor)
Emily Suvaal (Labor)
Wes Fang (Nationals)
Tara Moriarty (Labor)
Natalie Ward (Liberal)
John Graham Labor)
No
Mark Banasiak (Shooters, Fishers and Farmers)
Courtney Houssos (Labor)
Tania Mihailuk (Independent)
Robert Borsak(Shooters, Fishers and Farmers)
Mark Latham (Independent)
Chris Rath (Liberal)
Susan Carter (Liberal)
Natasha Maclaren-Jones (Liberal)
Rod Roberts (Independent)
Greg Donnelly (Liberal)
Taylor Martin (Independent)
John Ruddick (Libertarian)
Scott Farlow (Liberal)
Rachel Merton (Liberal)
Damien Tudehope (Liberal)
Abortion services could be expanded in NSW if a vote in parliament is passed this week.
The legislation would allow nurses and midwives to prescribe medical terminations.
Currently, only a medical practitioner could prescribe a medical abortion in NSW.
The bill, introduced by Greens MP Amanda Cohn, a former medical abortion provider, was initially much broader in scope.
Dr Cohn told ACM, publisher of this masthead, that although abortion was decriminalised in NSW in 2019 it was still not widely accessible.
"People are still travelling hundreds of kilometres or forking out hundreds or thousands of dollars to access the private system," she said.
The initial bill would have legally required doctors with moral objections to abortion to refer a patient to another practitioner.
It also stipulated that abortion be provided within a "reasonable distance" of people's homes, regardless of where they lived.
That's all been scrapped after failing to pass the upper house.
Another section lifting some mandatory reporting requirements was not passed either.
The bill in its current form allows nurse practitioners and endorsed midwives to prescribe the abortion pill MS-2 Step to women up to nine weeks in their pregnancy.
The legislation passed by 25 votes to 15 in the NSW upper house on May 8 with the support of most Labor, Greens and Nationals MPs.
The bill was introduced to the lower house on May 13.
Labor and the Coalition are allowing MPs to have a conscience vote on the issue.
Liberal leader Mark Speakman won't reveal his position on the matter.
In a statement, he told ACM that abortion was a sensitive issue where people hold "strong and sincere but different views".
"The joint party room is allowing a free vote so that each Coalition MP can decide based on their own conscience," he said.
NSW Premier Chris Minns told reporters he would support the bill given that the conscientious objective amendment had now been dropped.
He was initially against the bill.
"I think stripping the conscientious objection provisions as the original Greens bill had in place was a step too far," he said.
"I think it would have driven some doctors out of the profession, the opposite of what we need and want."
Yes
Scott Barrett (Nationals)
Sue Higginson (Greens)
Jacqui Munro (Liberals)
Abigail Boyd (Greens)
Emma Hurst (Animals Justice)
Cameron Murphy (Labor)
Jeremy Buckingham (Legalise Cannabis Party)
Rose Jackson (Labor)
Bob Nanva (Labor)
Mark Buttigieg (Labor)
Sarah Kaine (Greens)
Nichole Overall (Nationals)
Amanda Cohn (Greens)
Stephen Lawrence (Labor)
Peter Primrose (Labor)
Anthony D'Adam (Labor)
Sarah Mitchell (Nationals)
Penny Sharpe (Labor)
Cate Faehrmann (Greens)
Daniel Mookhey (Labor)
Emily Suvaal (Labor)
Wes Fang (Nationals)
Tara Moriarty (Labor)
Natalie Ward (Liberal)
John Graham Labor)
No
Mark Banasiak (Shooters, Fishers and Farmers)
Courtney Houssos (Labor)
Tania Mihailuk (Independent)
Robert Borsak(Shooters, Fishers and Farmers)
Mark Latham (Independent)
Chris Rath (Liberal)
Susan Carter (Liberal)
Natasha Maclaren-Jones (Liberal)
Rod Roberts (Independent)
Greg Donnelly (Liberal)
Taylor Martin (Independent)
John Ruddick (Libertarian)
Scott Farlow (Liberal)
Rachel Merton (Liberal)
Damien Tudehope (Liberal)
Abortion services could be expanded in NSW if a vote in parliament is passed this week.
The legislation would allow nurses and midwives to prescribe medical terminations.
Currently, only a medical practitioner could prescribe a medical abortion in NSW.
The bill, introduced by Greens MP Amanda Cohn, a former medical abortion provider, was initially much broader in scope.
Dr Cohn told ACM, publisher of this masthead, that although abortion was decriminalised in NSW in 2019 it was still not widely accessible.
"People are still travelling hundreds of kilometres or forking out hundreds or thousands of dollars to access the private system," she said.
The initial bill would have legally required doctors with moral objections to abortion to refer a patient to another practitioner.
It also stipulated that abortion be provided within a "reasonable distance" of people's homes, regardless of where they lived.
That's all been scrapped after failing to pass the upper house.
Another section lifting some mandatory reporting requirements was not passed either.
The bill in its current form allows nurse practitioners and endorsed midwives to prescribe the abortion pill MS-2 Step to women up to nine weeks in their pregnancy.
The legislation passed by 25 votes to 15 in the NSW upper house on May 8 with the support of most Labor, Greens and Nationals MPs.
The bill was introduced to the lower house on May 13.
Labor and the Coalition are allowing MPs to have a conscience vote on the issue.
Liberal leader Mark Speakman won't reveal his position on the matter.
In a statement, he told ACM that abortion was a sensitive issue where people hold "strong and sincere but different views".
"The joint party room is allowing a free vote so that each Coalition MP can decide based on their own conscience," he said.
NSW Premier Chris Minns told reporters he would support the bill given that the conscientious objective amendment had now been dropped.
He was initially against the bill.
"I think stripping the conscientious objection provisions as the original Greens bill had in place was a step too far," he said.
"I think it would have driven some doctors out of the profession, the opposite of what we need and want."
Yes
Scott Barrett (Nationals)
Sue Higginson (Greens)
Jacqui Munro (Liberals)
Abigail Boyd (Greens)
Emma Hurst (Animals Justice)
Cameron Murphy (Labor)
Jeremy Buckingham (Legalise Cannabis Party)
Rose Jackson (Labor)
Bob Nanva (Labor)
Mark Buttigieg (Labor)
Sarah Kaine (Greens)
Nichole Overall (Nationals)
Amanda Cohn (Greens)
Stephen Lawrence (Labor)
Peter Primrose (Labor)
Anthony D'Adam (Labor)
Sarah Mitchell (Nationals)
Penny Sharpe (Labor)
Cate Faehrmann (Greens)
Daniel Mookhey (Labor)
Emily Suvaal (Labor)
Wes Fang (Nationals)
Tara Moriarty (Labor)
Natalie Ward (Liberal)
John Graham Labor)
No
Mark Banasiak (Shooters, Fishers and Farmers)
Courtney Houssos (Labor)
Tania Mihailuk (Independent)
Robert Borsak(Shooters, Fishers and Farmers)
Mark Latham (Independent)
Chris Rath (Liberal)
Susan Carter (Liberal)
Natasha Maclaren-Jones (Liberal)
Rod Roberts (Independent)
Greg Donnelly (Liberal)
Taylor Martin (Independent)
John Ruddick (Libertarian)
Scott Farlow (Liberal)
Rachel Merton (Liberal)
Damien Tudehope (Liberal)
Abortion services could be expanded in NSW if a vote in parliament is passed this week.
The legislation would allow nurses and midwives to prescribe medical terminations.
Currently, only a medical practitioner could prescribe a medical abortion in NSW.
The bill, introduced by Greens MP Amanda Cohn, a former medical abortion provider, was initially much broader in scope.
Dr Cohn told ACM, publisher of this masthead, that although abortion was decriminalised in NSW in 2019 it was still not widely accessible.
"People are still travelling hundreds of kilometres or forking out hundreds or thousands of dollars to access the private system," she said.
The initial bill would have legally required doctors with moral objections to abortion to refer a patient to another practitioner.
It also stipulated that abortion be provided within a "reasonable distance" of people's homes, regardless of where they lived.
That's all been scrapped after failing to pass the upper house.
Another section lifting some mandatory reporting requirements was not passed either.
The bill in its current form allows nurse practitioners and endorsed midwives to prescribe the abortion pill MS-2 Step to women up to nine weeks in their pregnancy.
The legislation passed by 25 votes to 15 in the NSW upper house on May 8 with the support of most Labor, Greens and Nationals MPs.
The bill was introduced to the lower house on May 13.
Labor and the Coalition are allowing MPs to have a conscience vote on the issue.
Liberal leader Mark Speakman won't reveal his position on the matter.
In a statement, he told ACM that abortion was a sensitive issue where people hold "strong and sincere but different views".
"The joint party room is allowing a free vote so that each Coalition MP can decide based on their own conscience," he said.
NSW Premier Chris Minns told reporters he would support the bill given that the conscientious objective amendment had now been dropped.
He was initially against the bill.
"I think stripping the conscientious objection provisions as the original Greens bill had in place was a step too far," he said.
"I think it would have driven some doctors out of the profession, the opposite of what we need and want."
Yes
Scott Barrett (Nationals)
Sue Higginson (Greens)
Jacqui Munro (Liberals)
Abigail Boyd (Greens)
Emma Hurst (Animals Justice)
Cameron Murphy (Labor)
Jeremy Buckingham (Legalise Cannabis Party)
Rose Jackson (Labor)
Bob Nanva (Labor)
Mark Buttigieg (Labor)
Sarah Kaine (Greens)
Nichole Overall (Nationals)
Amanda Cohn (Greens)
Stephen Lawrence (Labor)
Peter Primrose (Labor)
Anthony D'Adam (Labor)
Sarah Mitchell (Nationals)
Penny Sharpe (Labor)
Cate Faehrmann (Greens)
Daniel Mookhey (Labor)
Emily Suvaal (Labor)
Wes Fang (Nationals)
Tara Moriarty (Labor)
Natalie Ward (Liberal)
John Graham Labor)
No
Mark Banasiak (Shooters, Fishers and Farmers)
Courtney Houssos (Labor)
Tania Mihailuk (Independent)
Robert Borsak(Shooters, Fishers and Farmers)
Mark Latham (Independent)
Chris Rath (Liberal)
Susan Carter (Liberal)
Natasha Maclaren-Jones (Liberal)
Rod Roberts (Independent)
Greg Donnelly (Liberal)
Taylor Martin (Independent)
John Ruddick (Libertarian)
Scott Farlow (Liberal)
Rachel Merton (Liberal)
Damien Tudehope (Liberal)
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Firebrand senator Jacqui Lambie, independent federal MP Andrew Wilkie and acclaimed author Richard Flanagan are among well-known Tasmanians who oppose the project. A retracted privatisation promise by Jeremy Rockliff has added pressure on the embattled Tasmanian premier to resign. Mr Rockliff has stopped prominent economist Saul Eslake from preparing a report on viable opportunities to sell government-owned businesses to support Tasmania's troubled finances. He promised legislation ensuring that any sales would require a two-thirds majority support in parliament. "There will be no privatisation. Nil," Mr Rockwell said. However, not everyone is convinced by his backtracking. "Frankly, Jeremy Rockliff saying that he won't be proceeding with privatisation cannot be believed and, even if it could, it doesn't go far enough," Unions Tasmania secretary Jessica Munday said. "The community ... will be rightly cynical about the timing of this announcement and the commitment underpinning it, given it comes as the premier is fighting for his political life." Mr Rockliff's backflip comes as the Greens ramp up pressure on him to resign, saying they are ready to offer "confidence and supply" to Labor leader Dean Winter as premier. "Just because we don't see eye to eye on everything doesn't mean we can't work constructively for our state," Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff said on Saturday. "Jeremy Rockliff could make sure there is no election by resigning. "But with the premier refusing to do so, it is incumbent on Dean Winter as opposition leader to engage with the Greens and the wider crossbench to prevent the state heading to the polls." Mr Winter has ruled out forming government in a deal with the Greens, without whom Labor doesn't have the numbers. The ongoing political fractures could send Tasmanians back to the polls for the fourth time in seven years, unless the Liberal party opts to remove Mr Rockliff and negotiate a new deal with crossbenchers. An election could be called on Tuesday. Despite feuding over the state's finances, Tasmania's proposed $715 million stadium looms as the biggest issue. The roofed Macquarie Point proposal is a condition of an AFL licence, with the state government responsible for delivery and cost and the Liberals support the stadium but recent polls suggest Tasmanians are not sold. Firebrand senator Jacqui Lambie, independent federal MP Andrew Wilkie and acclaimed author Richard Flanagan are among well-known Tasmanians who oppose the project. A retracted privatisation promise by Jeremy Rockliff has added pressure on the embattled Tasmanian premier to resign. Mr Rockliff has stopped prominent economist Saul Eslake from preparing a report on viable opportunities to sell government-owned businesses to support Tasmania's troubled finances. He promised legislation ensuring that any sales would require a two-thirds majority support in parliament. "There will be no privatisation. Nil," Mr Rockwell said. However, not everyone is convinced by his backtracking. "Frankly, Jeremy Rockliff saying that he won't be proceeding with privatisation cannot be believed and, even if it could, it doesn't go far enough," Unions Tasmania secretary Jessica Munday said. "The community ... will be rightly cynical about the timing of this announcement and the commitment underpinning it, given it comes as the premier is fighting for his political life." Mr Rockliff's backflip comes as the Greens ramp up pressure on him to resign, saying they are ready to offer "confidence and supply" to Labor leader Dean Winter as premier. "Just because we don't see eye to eye on everything doesn't mean we can't work constructively for our state," Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff said on Saturday. "Jeremy Rockliff could make sure there is no election by resigning. "But with the premier refusing to do so, it is incumbent on Dean Winter as opposition leader to engage with the Greens and the wider crossbench to prevent the state heading to the polls." Mr Winter has ruled out forming government in a deal with the Greens, without whom Labor doesn't have the numbers. The ongoing political fractures could send Tasmanians back to the polls for the fourth time in seven years, unless the Liberal party opts to remove Mr Rockliff and negotiate a new deal with crossbenchers. An election could be called on Tuesday. Despite feuding over the state's finances, Tasmania's proposed $715 million stadium looms as the biggest issue. The roofed Macquarie Point proposal is a condition of an AFL licence, with the state government responsible for delivery and cost and the Liberals support the stadium but recent polls suggest Tasmanians are not sold. Firebrand senator Jacqui Lambie, independent federal MP Andrew Wilkie and acclaimed author Richard Flanagan are among well-known Tasmanians who oppose the project.
