Welcome to the first in a Women’s Agenda series where we’ll ask experts to share facts about a range of issues which will be important to us in the lead up to upcoming elections including the federal election.
The aim of this series is to help you make an informed vote on the issues impacting us all and highlight tangible actions we can all take.
Like you, I’ve been alarmed at the rise in anti-abortion votes and proposals in the federal Senate, South Australian and Queensland Parliaments which are largely underpinned by agenda and disinformation.
This weekend’s Queensland state election may see a government elected that has been less than definitive on their position on these vital issues. You can see Fair Agenda’s tool to see candidate positions on abortion here.
Thank you to Renee Carr, Executive Director of Fair Agenda for sharing some background and facts on women’s reproductive health and abortion.
Let’s draw the line between the issues we all care about and our informed vote.
Fair Agenda
Fair Agenda is an independent movement campaigning for a fair and gender just future.
We are working for a future where we can all have safety, security and agency over our lives and bodies – no matter our gender.
Together with 41,000 Fair Agenda members around the country, we use our collective people power to keep a spotlight on problems that need solving; build momentum behind solutions; and exert pressure on decision-makers when and where it can have the most impact.
In recent years our movement has helped influence national and state policy – we’d love to have anyone who shares our passion for gender equity to join us!
Why is women’s reproductive health care and abortion access so important?
We each know what is best for our life, health, body and family. And we all deserve to feel safe and in control of our lives; and to be free to decide whether and when to become a parent. That requires agency over our reproductive healthcare decisions; and access to services – including abortion care.
Where does the government decision reside on these issues and when was abortion decriminalised?
When it comes to legislating around access to abortion, the focus is health law, which is set at the state and territory level. Before abortion was decriminalised; it sat within each state’s criminal code – which is why we talk about progress in different states.
It was just last year that we achieved the milestone of abortion no longer being a crime for patients in any jurisdiction in this country; when law reform in Western Australia finally came into effect. Reforms in other states have also been horrifyingly recent; with South Australia decriminalising just 3 years ago; NSW 5 years ago; and Qld 6 years ago.
The federal government also has influence over abortion access through its control of Medicare and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. Thankfully, we’ve seen some positive investment and progress in this area recently with leadership from Ged Kearney as Assistant Health Minister, who has acted to combat some of the barriers to abortion access. More change is needed to ensure abortion is actually accessible to everyone who needs it, when and where they need it – but it’s been really nice to see an Assistant Minister driving positive change in this area.
Unfortunately federal levers have also been used to restrict abortion access in the past. In 2005 Tony Abbott used his power as Health Minister to ban medical abortion drug RU486; until a cross party group of women led an effort to overturn the laws and transfer that power from the Health Minister to the Therapeutic Goods Administration.
What’s happened in the last months to raise concerns?
In Queensland crossbencher Robbie Katter has set the issue of abortion law live again – by saying he intends to introduce a bill to amend or repeal the law that decriminalised abortion in the next parliament.
The Bill that passed in 2018 to remove abortion from Queensland’s criminal code was put to a conscience vote; and only passed by four votes. That means if more than a handful of pro-choice MPs are replaced with anti-choice MPs in Saturday’s election, there’s a real chance that Katter could have the numbers to restrict legal access to abortion care in Queensland again.
Because issues of abortion are generally treated as a personal ‘conscience’ vote by the major parties; votes don’t necessarily split on party lines. In 2018, the law that decriminalised abortion passed by just 4 votes – with the support of all but two members of the then ALP; just 3 members of the LNP; 1 Green and 1 Independent.
If you’re a Queenslander who cares about reproductive healthcare access, it’s absolutely critical to know where your preferred candidate stands before you cast your vote. That’s why Fair Agenda has put together a tool to help you do just that.
What’s more, just last week South Australia’s parliament voted on a bill to restrict access to abortion there – which came within one vote of passing. We’ve also seen attempts to override patient care options at the federal level; with new headlines this week that federal Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price wants to see current laws restricted as well.
The key takeaway here is that our reproductive freedoms have been hard won; and they’re frequently under attack. Those of us who care about reproductive freedom can never be complacent.
What disinformation are they using to push their agenda?
We see a lot of groups and individuals pushing misleading messages and materials about access to abortion care later in pregnancy.
A woman can need abortion care later in pregnancy for a range of complex, distressing, and deeply personal reasons. She might have received a catastrophic diagnosis for her own health, for the pregnancy, or be trying to escape an abuser who is obstructing their ability to see a doctor for abortion care and trying to use the pregnancy to trap them in that situation.
For some patients, the scan that’s normally scheduled for 18-20 weeks in pregnancy is the first time they may be able to detect a devastating fetal abnormality or find out that additional testing is needed to understand a diagnosis.
The patient, supported by their medical experts, is best placed to determine what is best in those complicated and difficult circumstances. They deserve laws that support them to make an informed decision and support their health care team to provide the best possible information and advice.
Yet time and time again, we see fringe groups trying to override the care options that can be legally provided by healthcare professionals in these really distressing circumstances.
What can we all do to address the concerns you raise?
If you’re a Queenslander, the most important thing you can do is access and then share information about where your candidate stands on abortion laws.
Fair Agenda has put together a quick and easy tool you can use here.
It allows you to see whether your candidates have responded to our survey question about their personal stance on this issue; and any relevant information about their party position.
It’s absolutely critical that pro-choice voters have this information ahead of Saturday’s vote.
Fair Agenda’s polling from the 2017 election showed that half of Queenslanders wouldn’t vote for their preferred candidate if that person wanted abortion to remain a crime – and that number is higher for women and young voters.
With many marginal seat races this Saturday presenting a choice between candidates who are committed to protecting abortion laws in Queensland; and those who want to limit our reproductive freedoms and access to healthcare, it’s critical Queenslanders know where their candidate stands on this.
For those outside of Queensland; Fair Agenda is building a nation-wide effort to defend reproductive freedom. You can get involved here.
Unfortunately we know these attacks will keep coming; and whichever jurisdiction they focus on, we need to be ready to respond. Join us to get involved in protect reproductive freedom across our communities, and challenging misinformation about abortion care and laws.