A second attempt to narrow the scope of later abortions has been beaten down by a slim margin.
A controversial piece of legislation that would have restricted access to abortion after 22 weeks and six days’ gestation has been narrowly defeated in the South Australian parliament.
Current SA law allows abortions from 23 weeks when there is significant risk to the physical or mental health of the mother.
Independent MLC Sarah Game – formerly of One Nation – introduced the legislation which went before the parliament on Wednesday night. She worked with anti-abortion activist Joanna Howe on the proposal.
Ms Game’s amendment bill would have restricted access past 23 weeks except when it would save the life of the mother or another foetus, or if there was a significant risk of foetal abnormalities.
Ms Game told the Legislative Council on Wednesday night that late-term abortions should not be dismissed as a “rare event”.
“A lot of healthy babies [are] being denied a choice at life,” she said. “Every individual life is worthy.”
After what was an emotional debate, the motion was defeated 11-8.
Liberal MLC Michelle Lensink, who voted against the bill, said it undermined “one of the fundamental principles in health decision-making, which is informed consent for the patient”, and that the policies of “a certain US administration” were not “contagious”.
The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists said the bill was “based on a fundamental misunderstanding” of the “extraordinarily rare” procedure, which “almost always invariably involve circumstances of severe foetal abnormalities incompatible with life, or serious threats to the pregnant woman’s health and life”.
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The South Australian Abortion Action Coalition referred to the bill as introducing “forced birth”.
Co-convenor Brigid Coombe said the defeat of Ms Game’s bill was a reminder “that these anti-abortion MLCs are out of touch with the SA community’s expectation and appreciation of evidence-based and compassionate healthcare”.
Ms Howe has been banned from the SA Parliament indefinitely after allegations last year that she employed “threatening and intimidating tactics” during debate about another late-abortion bill that was subsequently defeated.