Abortion

Health Minister Mark Butler has confirmed Labor will not revisit a scrapped policy that linked federal funding to abortion services as major parties move to avoid an election debate on the issue.  

Labor has ruled out revisiting a scrapped policy from 2019 that would have linked federal funding for public hospitals to the provision of abortion services, saying it's an issue for the states and territories. 

The ABC has uncovered evidence another regional New South Wales public hospital has formally stopped providing surgical abortions.

An email obtained by the ABC confirms Queanbeyan Hospital has stopped providing surgical terminations for fetal anomalies and medical reasons, restricting access to a legal and time-critical form of reproductive health care.

Abortion and reproductive rights have been a divisive issue in the United States since Roe v Wade was overturned by the Supreme Court in 2022 and figured heavily in the election campaign.

A public hospital in regional New South Wales is restoring abortion services after an ABC investigation revealed the executive had banned staff from providing terminations to patients for non-medical reasons.

Leaked documents show staff at the public hospital in Orange can no longer provide abortion services for patients who present without medical complications, further restricting regional women's access to time-critical reproductive health care. 

There are two major beneficiaries of the recent turmoil within the South Australian Liberal Party, though it's unlikely either would openly describe themselves that way.

South Australia's late-term abortion debate has played out inside parliament, on the steps outside the building, and on social media platforms — and campaigner and academic Joanna Howe has been at the centre of that debate.

Anti-abortion activist Joanna Howe has been barred from parts of South Australia's parliament, with the upper house's president telling the chamber she allegedly insulted, intimidated and threatened MPs on the night of a vote about late-term abortion law.

A prominent anti-abortion campaigner who helped draft controversial proposed changes to South Australia's laws on the issue says she applied pressure to Liberal MP Jing Lee to abandon a deal with a colleague.

Decriminalisation was meant to give women access to safe, affordable abortions as a form of health care. Five years on, the ABC can reveal glaring examples of the system failing people in rural and regional areas at almost every step. 

A Liberal upper house MP has apologised for reneging on a deal with a colleague ahead of a vote on a bill seeking to reform South Australia's abortion laws, saying she felt pressured by an "external visitor" on the night.

Meanwhile research published by the Society of Family Planning has found abortion rates have stayed the same overall, despite an outright ban in some states. 

With the abortion debate making Queensland's election campaign national news, many Australians might be thinking 'cowboy' is a label applying to more than just supporters of the NRL team, writes Matt Eaton.

A report reveals people living in regional Victoria are almost twice as likely to seek abortions after 12 weeks' gestation than those living in metropolitan areas.

University of Adelaide law academic Joanna Howe has posted to social media labelling female politicians 'baby killers' following a failure to change South Australian abortion laws.

One of the Coalition's staunchest anti-abortion advocates has rejected calls for the issue to become a federal election fight, saying the temperature needs to be turned down on a "really sensitive issue for people". 

Queensland Opposition Leader David Crisafulli has finally revealed he believes in a "woman's right to choose" after facing repeated questioning ahead of Saturday's state election.

In an October 11 Stateline interview, Robbie Katter said he made no apology for the "pro-life" views held by his party.