Category: Procedures & Services

Australian Medical Association Submission to the Tasmanian Government

On the law governing termination of pregnancy

Introduction

The Tasmanian branch of the Australian Medical Association expressed qualified support for statutory legalization of abortion in a submission to the Tasmanian state government concerning its proposed Reproductive Health (Access to Terminations) Bill 2013.  However, the Association also emphasized its opposition to parts of the proposed bill that would suppress freedom of conscience among physicians.  Those parts of the submission are reproduced below. [Read more . . .]

Group claims Maltese abortion law violates convention against torture

The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) has submitted a report to the UN Human Rights Council that accuses Malta of violating the Convention Against Torture and other alleged obligations because Maltese law prohibits abortion.  The ICJ describes itself as “60 eminent judges and lawyers from all regions of the world” that “promotes and protects human rights through the Rule of Law, by using its unique legal expertise to develop and strengthen national and international justice systems.”  The same general claim was made this month by the UN Human Rights Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

 

Australian physicians unwilling to provide late term psychosocial abortions

A former health services commissioner who was among those behind the passage of a controversial abortion law in the State of Victoria is complaining that the law is “being thwarted at the service provision level.”  Her concern focuses on women seeking late term abortions – apparently 16 through 24 weeks gestation and beyond.  Physicians are reported to be willing to provide late term abortions only for eugenic reasons, but about 70 women annually ask for late term abortions for “psychosocial reasons.”  Another factor reducing availability appears to be the need to give priority to devote health care resources to addressing illness and other health problems over “psychosocial” issues.  One clinical advisor has suggested that this could be rectified by a regulation requiring that abortion be given legal priority. [The Age]

Appeal hearing on legalization of physician assisted suicide

An appeal against the judgement of the BC Supreme Court in Carter v. Canada (which found in favour of physician assisted suicide and the judge ordered Canada to change the law to permit it) is now underway.

The following link provides a live-feed from the BC Court of Appeal and links to the factums filed by the parties and intervenors.

British Columbia Court of Appeal live stream

New frontiers in repressing dissent

Re:  Reproductive Health (Access to Terminations) Bill (2013)
(State of Tasmania)

  • Mishka Gora* | Tasmania may be small, but it will punch far above its weight on the world stage in shutting down protests against abortion if a new bill is passed. . . the real aim of the Labor-Green coalition which is running Tasmania is to criminalize abortion dissent.
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