#and ​SA is removing abortion from the criminal code this year (it’s already been voted on but the update hasn’t come into law yet)

[ellynneversweet]

Labor and Liberal politicians have issued a bipartisan condemnation of the US Supreme Court's ruling allowing states to ban abortion, though access to the procedure remains difficult in parts of Australia.

What we know:

The US Supreme Court on Friday overturned the half-century old Roe v Wade case, which granted women the right to terminate a pregnancy (Vox);

Australia’s Minister for Women Katy Gallagher and Liberal deputy leader Sussan Ley both condemned the verdict (SBS);

LNP senator Matt Canavan was one of a minority of Australian politicians to back the ruling, tweeting “a wonderful day to protect human life”;

Abortion has not been fully decriminalised across Australia, with SA only set to do so on July 7 and aspects of the procedure still within the criminal code in WA (SMH);

Experts warn the gestational age limit for medical abortions differs in every state, creating further confusion and barriers to access;

Surgical abortion is mostly available only in urban areas of Australia, meaning regional patients face increased costs to cover travel, accommodation and time off work;

Only 10% of Australian GPs are registered to provide medical abortions, with high levels of stigma around the procedure;

In 2020 it was revealed that Wagga Wagga’s religious medical community is tying the hands of pro-choice doctors (The Saturday Paper);

The US joins Russia and Poland as countries to recently crack down on abortion access, while Ireland, Colombia and Argentina have eased restrictions (The Conversation);

Democrat progressives have called for US President Joe Biden to offer federal land as a safe haven for abortion in states that ban the practice (Reuters).

#links in the article because I’m on mobile #for those of you who didn’t know that abortion is still listed in some state criminal codes — it’s not quite the same as the US because #there’s a lot of leeway (basically that a doctor needs to affirm that it’s necessary on the ground of negative impacts upon #the (pregnant) patient’s physical or mental health (which is true for basically all unwanted pregnancies even if they’re ‘healthy’/ #‘uncomplicated) #and the general culture here does not affirm the rights of doctors to impose their ideology on patients #but it IS true that as with most health care treatments regional and rural australia has insufficient infrastructure #and ​SA is removing abortion from the criminal code this year (it’s already been voted on but the update hasn’t come into law yet) #but as always remain wary of cultural imports from America #auspol #abortion rights #thoughts and prayers for Matt Canavan; may he trip and fall into an abandoned coal mine shaft