Source : Perth Now news
A controversial bill that would effectively ban late-term abortion in South Australia made it through the upper house by the narrowest of margins — only to ultimately be defeated.
On Wednesday, the Legislative Council voted in favour of a bill to place tougher restrictions on abortions after 24 weeks and six days.
Introduced by Family First MP Sarah Game, it was the third time since 2024 that the bill has been debated.
It was also the first time it had made it through the state’s upper house — by 10 votes to nine.
The vote triggered an immediate debate in the House of Assembly later in the evening — which ultimately saw it voted down.
After an emotive debate that lasted more than an hour, Speaker Nat Cook initially called the vote in favour of supporters.
However, her assessment of the vocal votes was challenged, resulting in a recorded vote being held.
This, in turn, saw the bill defeated, with 36 MPs voting against the bill moving to a second reading.
Currently in South Australia, abortions are permitted after 23 weeks with the approval of two doctors, if the continuation of pregnancy would involve “significant risk of injury to the physical or mental health” of the pregnant person.
However, the bill sought to remove this exemption in favour of more stringent restrictions that would all but ban abortions from 24 weeks onwards.
Under the proposed bill, which was amended by Labor MP Tung Ngo, it would require two medical practitioners to consider that there is a “significant risk” of serious foetal abnormalities that would be “incompatible with survival after birth”.
Prior to both debates, anti-abortion demonstrators gathered outside of parliament to voice their support for the bill.
Speaking on the floor of parliament, Ms Game said there was support for the bill following the March election result.
“The composition of this chamber has changed; it’s changed due to the voting of the public,” she said.
“The public’s been fully aware of the new parties that have entered this chamber and their stance on abortion.”
Ms Game voted for the bill, as did Liberals Dennis Hood, Ben Hood, Nicola Centofanti, Heidi Girolamo, Labor’s Clare Scriven and Tung Ngo and the three One Nation MLCs.
During the evening debate, One Nation MP Chantelle Thomas was among those to speak in favour of the bill.
She said her own seven-year-old daughter was “living proof that sometimes the predictions are wrong” — having received recommendations to terminate her own pregnancy at 28 weeks.
“I believe that one child killed by a late-term abortion is one too many when they could have been saved,” she said.
But she criticised the speed at which the bill moved between the two houses.
“I had hoped we would have had time to speak with our constituents about our vote,” she said.
Labor MP Katrine Hildyard, South Australia’s minister for woman, however, spoke passionately against it.
“The reality is, South Australia already has one of the most regulated systems,” she said.
“We must send a clear message that we are prepared to respect health care professionals and absolutely trust women.”
Labor MPs were, however, divided on the bill, with party members speaking both in favour of it and against.
Tom Koutsantonis, the state’s treasurer, was among those who opposed it, which he said was motivated largely by his Christian faith.
“The very fact this bill made it through the upper house is historic,” he said.
