The Legislative Council has tonight passed legislation to establish safe access zones in South Australia around premises that provide abortion services. This legislation was introduced by Greens MLC Tammy Franks in the upper house, and was co-sponsored and passed in the lower house by Nat Cook MP.
South Australia was up until now only one of two Australian jurisdictions without safe access zones, and WA – the other jurisdiction – are also currently debating safe access zone laws.
Quotes attributable to Tammy Franks MLC:
“The South Australian Parliament has today voted, at long last, to protect patients and workers from harassment when seeking or providing abortion care.
“For too long our dedicated health workers and the patients for whom they provide care were subjected to harassment, intimidation, and threats while trying to access or provide abortion services. What a relief it is that today patients and health workers will no longer be subjected to this behaviour, and will be protected by our laws.
“Finally, South Australia has said ‘no more’ to women and workers being made to run a gauntlet of protest and preaching. Abortion care is health care, and this legislation takes us one step towards finally treating it as such.