Thursday, 14 November 2024

Abortion law reform

Gabrielle DE VIETRI (Richmond) (17:23): (937) Around the world we are seeing a resurgence of right-wing politicians trying to control women’s and trans and gender-diverse people’s bodies and restrict their access to abortion and reproductive health. We have seen it in the US but also in Australia, from South Australia to Queensland and federally with the Nationals. Here in Victoria women and trans and gender-diverse people have a legal right to abortion, but there are still barriers to access, especially in disadvantaged and marginalised communities and for culturally and linguistically diverse people. Improving access, redressing these stark inequalities and ensuring that every hospital that receives public money provides access to –

Anthony Carbines: On a point of order, Deputy Speaker, it would assist if we understood, for members in the house, who the adjournment is directed to, of the ministers in the government.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The member for Richmond has not yet specified a question, but she has still got time left.

Gabrielle DE VIETRI: I will come to, and I will be very clear about, my question and who it is for. Improving access through addressing the inequalities and ensuring that every hospital that receives public money provides medical and surgical abortions as routine health care should be priorities of this government.

But today I want to talk about protecting the rights we already have, because politics today teaches us that we should never take our hard-won gains for granted. It was only in 2022 that it became possible to access legal abortions in every state and territory in Australia – two years ago – and it could take just one change of government to roll that back. The ripples of conservative debates threatening our autonomy over our bodies are no longer ripples; they are surging tides, and they are threatening to take away the right to a safe abortion. That is why the action that I seek from the Premier is to protect the right to an abortion, to safeguard it against the whims of a future conservative government. We could do that here in Victoria by enshrining that right in the constitution. All women, all trans and gender-diverse people: your body, your choice, always.