If you want a surgical abortion in the New England, you can’t have one. You have to go somewhere else.
The entire New England was identified last year as being an ‘abortion desert’. This term refers to areas where the nearest provider is more than 160km’s away. All of the New England is an abortion desert for surgical abortion, which is the termination of a pregnancy in a specialist clinic or surgery up to 14 weeks, or at a very limited number of specialist providers, up to 22 weeks of pregnancy.
Medical abortion, where a pregnancy is terminated early (less than 9 weeks) and safely with medication, is very difficult to access, with no publicly listed providers in the west of our region. Telehealth services can bridge the gap, but the cost is high, with most providers not charging less than $300.
All abortions in NSW up to 22 weeks are legal, and the patient doesn’t have to explain her choice to anyone. Above 22 weeks, there are numerous provisions in the law that allow for safe and legal abortions to be performed by specialist providers in hospital, and mothers are required to participate in counselling (except in emergency situations).
A new bill aimed at improving abortion access across New South Wales was introduced to the state’s Parliament by Greens MLC Dr Amanda Cohn yesterday.
Despite abortion being legal in NSW since 2019, the Greens argue that services remain inconsistent, forcing many individuals to travel long distances or pay high costs to access private care.
The Abortion Law Reform Amendment (Health Care Access) Bill 2025 seeks to address these issues by ensuring abortion services are provided within a reasonable distance of residents’ homes. The legislation also aims to improve access to information about abortion services, allowing nurse practitioners and endorsed midwives to prescribe medical abortions up to nine weeks gestation, in line with Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) guidelines.
Additionally, the bill seeks to remove mandatory reporting requirements that some health professionals say create unnecessary barriers and requires doctors who object to abortion to refer patients to another provider.
The proposed changes are based on recommendations from NSW Health’s recent review of the Abortion Law Reform Act 2019, which highlighted significant gaps in service availability. The review found that mandatory reporting requirements were unnecessary, conscientious objection laws were creating referral barriers, and that expanding prescription rights to nurse practitioners and endorsed midwives would help improve access.
Dr Cohn, a former GP and medical abortion provider, said that while the law changed in 2019, access to care has not improved in many parts of the state.
“Abortion is health care – and while the law changed in 2019, access to care has not,” she said.
“Abortion services are not something public hospitals with the capability to provide them should be able to opt out of.”
“Especially in rural and regional areas, where privacy and anonymity are a particular challenge to accessing specialised services, the local public hospital is a critical option for people to be able to
access reproductive health care without stigma and without cost.”
The Albury based MP said the bill provides a practical solution that would bring NSW in line with other states and territories.
“This bill offers practical reform that brings NSW in line with other states and territories, and makes the system work better for patients and health workers.”
Dr Cohn acknowledged that the state government has reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining abortion rights, but said more needs to be done to guarantee equitable access to services.
“I acknowledge the Premier and Health Minister making it clear that abortion rights will not be wound back under this Government, but continuing with business as usual is not enough. Access to abortion services in our public health system in NSW must be enshrined in our laws.”
She also called for increased funding for abortion services in public hospitals and better support for healthcare workers providing the service.
“Changing laws won’t fix this problem by itself. The NSW government must also fund abortion services in public hospitals and adequately support health workers providing this care.”
“The Greens will keep fighting until abortion is safe, legal, and free in every corner of NSW.”
Dr Cohn has raised the issue of abortion access multiple times in Parliament, including her first question as an MP in 2023, private members’ statements throughout 2023 and 2024, and a debate on the matter in November 2024. She has also questioned the NSW Health Secretary and spoken to the media about regional hospitals refusing to provide abortion services.
The bill will now be considered by the NSW Parliament, where it is expected to spark debate on the availability of reproductive healthcare services in the state.
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