Dr Amanda Cohn introduced her abortion bill to NSW Parliament. Photo: Facebook.
The author of a new bill aimed at improving access to abortion across NSW has dismissed claims it will force all Catholic hospitals in the state to close if passed as “fearmongering”.
Albury-based Greens MP and former GP Dr Amanda Cohn has introduced legislation to NSW Parliament to allow nurse practitioners and endorsed midwives to prescribe medical pregnancy terminations and to require health practitioners with a conscientious objection to abortion to refer a patient to another provider.
Her bill comes following media reports that access to abortion remains severely restricted across NSW some six years after the procedure was decriminalised in the state, particularly in rural areas such as the Riverina.
Anti-abortion activist Dr Joanna Howe claims the Greens’ bill goes too far and will have consequences on the already strained NSW Health system.
“This bill significantly widens ministerial power and has the potential to force the closure of Catholic hospitals who do not want to perform abortion because it ends the life of an innocent human child in-utero,” she wrote in a letter to NSW Premier Chris Minns.
“This will reduce healthcare for everyone as it will place even greater pressure on the hospital system in NSW.
“The bill also greatly erodes freedom of conscience protections for individual health workers. It will force them to actively refer for abortion, which means making them morally complicit in a procedure that they are vehemently opposed to. This will lead to an exodus of Christian and other health workers from a sector that is already experiencing crippling shortages.”
Dr Cohn strongly refuted these assertions, saying her bill will bring NSW in line with other states.
“The bill does not force all hospitals nor all health professionals to provide abortion,” she said.
“There is no intent nor any mechanism for Catholic hospitals to be forced to close. This is deliberate misinformation and fearmongering by anti-abortion activists.
“The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) [medicine regulator] has permitted nurse practitioners and endorsed midwives to prescribe abortion medication up to nine weeks’ gestation since 2023 and this is occurring safely in Queensland and the ACT.
“Allowing them to also prescribe abortion medication in NSW is recommended by NSW Health. Individual doctors, nurses and midwives would still be able to hold a conscientious objection to providing abortion. Practitioners with a conscientious objection are required to refer patients to access abortion in Victorian legislation.”
Dr Cohn says her bill could be debated in NSW Parliament as early as 19 March, but the timing has not been confirmed. She says initial indications from other political parties suggests there is a chance it could pass.
“Health Minister Ryan Park confirmed on Thursday that Labor MPs will have a conscience vote on the bill. Independent MP for Orange Phil Donato has voiced his support for the bill. The Liberal and National parties have not yet determined whether MPs will be allowed a conscience vote on the bill,” she said.
Region asked Calvary Health Care, which runs Catholic hospitals across NSW, if it shared Dr Howe’s concerns about the new abortion bill. It did not answer this question but provided the following statement: “Calvary Health Care does not provide maternity and obstetric services in the public hospitals we operate in NSW.”
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