Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Hansard source

I think those are two different things. Minister Butler has asked the NHMRC to consider national guidelines in relation to puberty blockers. Hospitals already provide access to surgical termination of pregnancy where they have the workforce and the skill to be able to provide it. We do not operate the hospitals. We do not dictate where workforce for those hospitals goes or the range of services that they provide. There are many services in this country in smaller hospitals that aren't able to provide a full suite of services. That is the reality of operating 700 hospitals across a very, very big country. For example, here in the ACT most abortions are performed by a clinic where they are free for women—and there are a range of different alternatives around the country. But our position has been to fund the hospitals properly, and then the hospital operators are in the best position to determine what services they provide. (Time expired)