NSW Parliament Passes Bill to Allow Nurses, Midwives to Prescribe Abortion Drugs
The bill marks a significant step in expanding access to abortion services in regional and rural NSW.
Introduced by Greens MP Dr Amanda Cohn, the bill allows nurse practitioners and endorsed midwives to prescribe and provide medical abortion drugs for pregnancies up to nine weeks—a role previously limited to doctors.
Cohn, who led the reform, said the bill would help address gaps in reproductive care for women outside metropolitan areas.
'This bill is about access,' she said. 'It's about ensuring women outside our cities can get safe, legal, timely reproductive healthcare.'
Currently, only doctors can prescribe MS-2 Step—the medication used for medical abortions—making access in regional areas difficult. Cohn argued the bill was necessary to 'end abortion deserts' in rural NSW.
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The legislation also gives the health minister authority to direct public hospitals to provide abortion services.
However, a clause that would have required 'conscientious objectors' to refer patients elsewhere was removed during negotiations.
This clause was heavily criticised by former Prime Minister Tony Abbott who said it would be 'cancelling faith in public life,' and force those with religious beliefs to act
Abbott spoke at a protest outside NSW Parliament House on May 7 attended by hundreds of individuals.
Final Debate Sees Push For Stricter Conditions
Despite the bill's broad support from parliamentarians, its final debate saw several MPs attempt to introduce stricter conditions.
Some MPs proposed that only nurse practitioners and midwives with further years of experience should be permitted to prescribe abortion medication. Others argued for mandatory counselling alongside any termination procedure.
Alister Henskens, the member for Wahroonga, and Joe McGirr, member for Wagga Wagga, were among those calling for these changes.
However, Independent MP Alex Greenwich opposed the stricter conditions, saying they had not been consulted with the nursing profession, and risked undermining the bill's intent.
'It essentially seeks to add two years' experience, in addition to the extensive training nurse practitioners and endorsed midwives have already undertaken,' Greenwich said.
He noted that nurses in Australia must already complete 5,000 hours of practice in their specialty before they can apply to become a nurse practitioner.
Once endorsed, they are required to undertake additional professional development, and be governed by legal and clinical standards.
Health Minister Opposes Training Requirement
Health Minister Ryan Park also opposed the proposed training requirement, saying it would create barriers to access.
'Stipulating specific training requirements is not appropriate to do via legislation,' he said.
He added that no other health service sets clinical training standards in legislation, and warned that such a move could set an unworkable precedent, putting NSW out of line with national practices.
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