Janet Rice (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

The Greens—and all the Greens—oppose this motion, because women and all people exercising their choice to have an abortion should not have to run the gauntlet of aggressive opponents in order to do so. Quite frankly, we don't need another man, like Senator Anning, chiming in to challenge women's ability to access health services safely. We know that these so-called protestors outside sexual health clinics have handed out plastic fetuses. They throw holy water at people accessing the premises, and clinic staff are worried about their safety. No reasonable person can call this repulsive behaviour 'free speech' or 'protest'. This is nothing short of coercion and abuse, which is completely and utterly unacceptable. The safe access zone in New South Wales and in Victoria was a victory for the fundamental right of people to access a medical service free from intimidation and harassment and ensure that abortion services can be accessed safely and securely. (Time expired)