A bill to decriminalise abortion has been voted down in New South Wales Parliament.
Members of the public gallery yelled “shame” as it was announced the bill had been defeated 25 to 14.
Greens MP Mehreen Faruqi’s bill sought to have offences relating to abortion removed from the Crimes Act and common law.
It also required doctors who objected to abortion to refer patients onto a doctor who would help them and to install 150-metre safe access zones around abortion clinics to prevent the harassment of staff and patients.
Both pro-choice and pro-life protesters lined up in front of Parliament ahead of the debate and the public gallery was packed with supporters and opponents of the bill.
MPs from both sides of the chamber were granted a conscience vote on the issue — but a number of pro-choice MPs expressed concerns about details of the bill.
Dr Faruqi said that the fight to decriminalise abortion would continue despite the voting down of her bill.
Opposition concerns over bill’s legal framework
Labor’s health spokesperson Walt Secord voted for the bill as he is pro-choice — but expressed concern that it left no legal framework to allow medically approved abortions to occur.
“As the shadow health minister for the last three years I have not received a single representation on abortion or the need for legal clarification — until [Dr Faruqi] began her campaign,” he said.