“Geography can be a barrier to access – but that can also be a myth,” she said. Underfunding in the health system is another issue, Corbin said, along with geography. It can cost hundreds of dollars for a medical abortion, and thousands for a surgical termination. What are the other barriers to accessing abortion? “ part of the problem is that we have different laws in different states and territories,” she said. We could be leading the world in 2030 if we stick to that trajectory.”Ĭorbin said while abortion has largely been decriminalised, some aspects of it remain in criminal law. We are in such a good place to keep moving forward with reproductive rights in Australia.
“I’m confident that commitment will stick. “Comparatively we’re tracking very well,” she said. The head of policy at Marie Stopes International (MSI) Australia, Bonney Corbin, said Australia was on track to have universal care by 2030 as outlined in the bipartisan National Women’s Health Strategy. The limits on surgical abortions vary, from 16 weeks in the ACT to 24 weeks in Victoria, before further approvals are needed. These must be prescribed by a doctor and are taken orally in the form of pills. A medical abortion uses mifepristone to end the pregnancy and misoprostol to expel it. Across Australia, medical abortions are available until nine weeks’ gestation (with SA restrictions to lift on 7 July).
