Deborah Bateson
Speeches:
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Australia is a prosperous country which endeavours to provide equitable access to high-quality healthcare. Yet this is not the case for abortion.
With the introduction of government-subsidised medical abortion in 2013 it was envisaged that women would be able to access affordable abortions, medical or surgical, across the country. Unfortunately, this promise has not been met, especially for those who are financially disadvantaged or who live in rural and remote areas.
Australia has a complex patchwork of abortion laws across its 8 states and territories, ranging from legal abortion available on request up to 24-weeks with potential supply of early medical abortion drugs by nurses in Victoria, to abortion provision still residing in the Crimes Act of 1900 in the most populous state of New South Wales. While decriminalisation has not always led to improved access, the risk of prosecution serves as a barrier to service provision, particularly in the public setting. Publically-funded hospital services, except for fetal abnormality, are difficult to access or non-existent in most states and territories and costs for private medical and surgical abortion services vary widely and can be substantial and unaffordable. While General Practitioners are potentially able to provide low cost medical abortion to their patients only a very small number do so due to perceived stigma, poor remuneration and concerns about managing complications in the absence of clear referral pathways into local hospitals. Australia’s innovative telemedicine service has the potential to overcome barriers to access but reports of obstruction and psychological abuse of women by health care providers providing radiology and other necessary support services highlights that abortion is far from stigma-free in Australia. Despite these challenges key steps are being taken by professional colleges and other leading health organisations to integrate abortion care within their training pathways and in calling for policy reform focussing on reducing costs and enhancing early access.