Carol Brown (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Disability and Carers) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate:

(a) notes that:

  (i) abortion was decriminalised in Tasmania in 2013, and surgical terminations were being provided at private clinics without significant out-of-pocket expenses,

  (ii) early this year, this provider closed their clinic, and the Tasmanian Liberal Government ruled out providing this essential service within the Tasmanian public health system, with women forced to travel interstate for treatment,

  (iii) in February, the Federal and Tasmanian Ministers for Health gave assurances that this issue had been resolved, with the Tasmanian Minister more recently stating that a new low cost private provider would begin operation by October this year, and

  (iv) despite these assurances, evidence has revealed a significant increase in the number of Tasmanian women being forced to travel interstate to access surgical abortions at great cost, and the Tasmanian Government is yet to reveal details of the private provider; and

(b) calls on the Federal Government to:

  (i) work with the Tasmanian Government to resolve this issue for Tasmanian women so they can affordably access surgical terminations in the state, and

  (ii) directly encourage provision of these essential health services in Tasmania by matching Federal Labor's $1 million commitment to a reproductive health hub.

Question agreed to.