The Greens have vowed to introduce a bill that will ban the Queensland government from making new deals to outsource public hospitals to organizations that refuse to perform abortions.
The pledge, days before the Queensland election, comes amid a heated debate over abortion across the state. This follows a Guardian Australia report last year that revealed concerns that Catholic-run public hospitals would not provide reproductive care.
Labor has sought to make abortion a key issue in Saturday's election after opposition leader David Crisafulli repeatedly refused to state his personal position or say whether Liberal National Party MPs would be I would grant a vote of conscience.
While the issue plays out in the main contest between Labor and the LNP, pollsters say the biggest impact could be bolstering support for the government among progressive voters, even in areas where seats are at risk for the Greens.
On Thursday, the Greens will announce a “common access” policy and have sought to draw attention to Labour's failures to increase access, including deals with Catholic organization Mater to run public hospitals.
On the eve of the state election, Labor rallied $1 billion funding for a new “world-class” public hospital in Springfield – the state's fastest-growing region – to be built and run by Mater, who refuses for religious reasons to perform abortions or offer contraceptive methods.
“[The Springfield hospital] “It will be the only public hospital in the city and, thanks to the Labor Party, it will be run by an ideologically anti-choice organisation, forcing women and pregnant people to travel away from home to access this basic healthcare. “said Greens health spokesperson Amy MacMahon. saying.
“Labour should know better. Public hospitals must be publicly managed and never discriminate based on outdated ideological dogmas.”
Guardian Australia's reporting on practices in Catholic hospitals sparked criticism of Labor governments for refusing to link public hospital funding to full reproductive care.
The Greens' proposed ban on any new deals to outsource the management of health or hospital services to “anti-choice” organizations (including providers like Mater) would not apply to existing deals, including public and mothers' hospitals. Mater in South Brisbane. and the hospital under construction in Springfield.
The Labor Party decriminalized abortion in 2018 and last year passed new laws allowing nurses to prescribe medical abortion pills. The Greens say that despite progress, not enough has been done to allow access.
The party's policy would require each of the state's 15 hospital and health service regions to offer adequate pregnancy termination services. It would also make access to medication abortions free at public health clinics, as well as providing funding for telehealth services and travel subsidies for women who cannot access local services.
“Despite legalization, access to abortion remains a lottery and, for many people, their only option will be an expensive private clinic that can cost between $250 and $4,000,” MacMahon said.
Guardian Australia revealed on Wednesday that Crisafulli previously told a live audience: “I don't believe in late-term abortions.”
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He said in a debate Wednesday night that he supported a woman's right to choose. The issue has gained traction due to Crisafulli's continued refusal to say whether his MPs – including several who officially oppose abortion – would receive a conscience vote should the issue reach the floor of parliament.
The Labor Party says its MPs would be given a conscience vote; the vast majority support the party's laws, but a handful have supported amendments or abstained from voting in recent years.
The Greens say their MPs would vote as a bloc and be subject to the party's pro-choice position.
MacMahon said Greens MPs “would never vote to make abortion more difficult to access, nor would they vote to make it a crime”.
Health Minister Shannon Fentiman said earlier this month in response to questions about Springfield hospital's deal with Mater that Labor was “leading the nation in pregnancy termination services and support”.
The government says all hospital and health services offer “pathways” for women to access pregnancy termination services (including through satellite hospitals, nurse-led clinics and a planned digital clinic) and that these will be available for women in the Springfield area.
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