On Wednesday, the Queensland Parliament in Australia voted on a bill which authorises abortion up to the 22nd week of pregnancy and beyond on “medical indication”. The text also provides for “a perimeter of 150 metres around abortion clinics, known as ‘safe access zones’ where protests and demonstrations are prohibited”. Doctors can invoke the conscience clause to refuse to perform an abortion but, in such cases, they must refer women requesting an abortion to another doctor.
MPs also drew a line by 50 votes to 41 on an 1899 law that “criminalised abortion considered as ‘offence against morality'”.
In Australia, abortion remains illegal in the state of New South Wales.
AFP (18/10/2018)