Greens NSW MP and Spokesperson for the Status of Women, Dr Mehreen Faruqi MLC, has applauded the Victorian government for prioritising the safety of people accessing Abortion Clinics. Today it was announced that the Victorian government agreed to legislate for protest exclusion zones outside abortion clinics, after reaching a deal with Sex Party MP Fiona Patten.
“The Victorian government is putting the safety of people accessing abortion services ahead of politics today.
“Even though abortion has been decriminalised for the past seven years in Victoria, people who access termination services are still being harassed and intimidated and need protection.
“Embarrassingly behind Victoria on abortion law reform, NSW also needs to legislate to prohibit this behaviour from outside clinics providing reproductive health services.
“In NSW, we need to both decriminalise abortion and make sure that exclusion zones around reproductive health services are legislated.
“I think most people accept that accessing basic health services with dignity and privacy is a right for all Australians.
“While obviously we need to respect people’s right to protest and free speech, we have to draw a line at harassment and intimidation of people accessing reproductive health services,” she concluded.