Natasha Stott Despoja (SA, Australian Democrats) Share this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I thank the minister for his answer and for endeavouring to confirm that that service will be available to all women. I acknowledge the minister’s point that there have been no complaints. I presume that that is because the MBS item has not started yet. So I am just wondering, Senator Santoro, whether the minister would outline for the chamber the time line for the tender process of the government’s pregnancy support telephone hotline, and whether the hotline is still due to begin operating by the end of this year. I also ask the minister to elaborate on his comment regarding the provision of non-directive pregnancy counselling information, and ask the minister, specifically: does your definition—the minister’s and the government’s definition—of ‘non-directive’ include information about, and referral for, a termination?