Women’s Forum Australia argued a geographical requirement for abortion access in the bill would cause hospitals to be forced into offering terminations.
A proposed bill to expand abortion access in New South Wales (NSW) has sparked protests, with opponents warning it could force hospitals and medical professionals to act against their conscience.
The Abortion Law Reform Amendment (Health Care Access) Bill 2025 is being introduced by Greens MP and former abortion provider Amanda Cohn.
It seeks to ensure that abortion services are accessible across Australia’s most populous state, and that information about them is publicly available.
It further proposes health practitioners—including nurses and midwives—would be allowed to perform abortions up to 22 weeks’ gestation.
Under the amendment, unwilling healthcare workers asked to perform an abortion need to declare their conscientious objection before referring patients directly to a willing provider.
Under current laws, an objecting health worker only needs to pass on general information on how to locate another practitioner.
Protests and Political Divisions
Opposition to the bill has come from women’s advocacy groups, religious organisations, and members of the Liberal Party.
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On March 19, demonstrators gathered outside NSW Parliament, while Women’s Forum Australia penned an open letter to Premier Chris Minns, warning the bill would erode medical freedom.
“Section 2 of the bill provides that ‘The minister must ensure that abortion services are provided throughout the state within a reasonable distance of residents’ homes and that to ensure this, the minister may give directions to a public health organisation which must comply,’” the letter claims.
The group deemed the bill an “attack on freedom of conscience,” saying it would force hospitals that do not currently perform abortions to comply, simply due to their geographical location.
“(The bill) will endanger women, particularly those in rural and remote areas, by allowing dangerous medical abortions to be undertaken by underqualified practitioners without the assurance of appropriate medical care in the event of life-threatening complications,” said Rachael Wong, CEO of Women’s Forum Australia.
“Instead of simply pushing for more abortion, imagine if the Greens put as much effort into actually addressing the underlying societal issues and inequalities that drive women to seek abortion in the first place (such as) lack of support, coercion, domestic violence, etc.”
There are also concerns these conditions would cause undue pressure on religious medical facilities, such as Catholic hospitals, where doctors may not want to be involved in a direct referral for an abortion service.
Liberal MP Susan Carter joined protestors in condemning the bill, alongside anti-abortion campaigner Dr. Joanna Howe, who vowed continued resistance.
Howe has been a vocal opponent of the bill since it was first tabled, and participated in a demonstration outside the office of Labor MP Nathan Hagarty on March 20.
“We won’t stop until this bill is blocked,” she said on X.
“Unless (Labor) kill this bill now, we will run a massive rally two weeks before the election and between now and then we will letterbox Labor seats across NSW.”
‘No One Will Be Forced,’ Says Greens MP
MP Amanda Cohn has maintained that the bill will not force all hospitals or health professionals to provide abortions.
“There is no intent nor any mechanism for Catholic hospitals to be forced to close,” she said.
“Individual doctors, nurses, and midwives would still be able to exercise a conscientious objection to providing abortion.”
The referral requirement mirrors similar laws in Victoria, where objecting doctors must ensure patients receive access to an abortion provider.
Minns has stated Labor members will be allowed a conscience vote on the bill.
With an election looming, opponents of the bill have vowed to make it a key issue, particularly in Labor-held marginal seats.
