Abortion and the Balance of Power in Victoria's Election
Victorian Labor says abortion rights are at stake in the state election, warning One Nation could use abortion as a bargaining chip with the Coalition if there is a hung parliament.
The claim, reported by The Guardian, comes down to balance-of-power math. Labor points to polling that shows the Coalition falling short of an outright majority. In that case, minor parties would have more influence over laws. Labor has named One Nation directly in that scenario.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Women Gabrielle Williams and Health Minister Ingrid Stitt will announce a $480,000 rollout of portable ultrasound machines for Victoria's 20 sexual and reproductive health hubs. The machines are meant to confirm early pregnancy sooner and improve access to medical abortion, particularly in regional Victoria.
Medical abortion in this case means ending a pregnancy with drugs, available up to nine weeks. The window is narrow, a bit like a strict deadline for paperwork. Delays in diagnosis, referral and dispensing can push patients past the point where they qualify.
Abortion was decriminalised in Victoria in 2008. Termination is available during the first 24 weeks of pregnancy, and later with the agreement of two doctors. Victoria introduced safe access zones around abortion clinics in 2015, areas that limit protest activity near entrances.
Access within that law is uneven. Victoria's virtual women's health clinic reported nearly 60% of its appointments in its first year supported medical abortion. Care outside specialist services is limited. About 17% of Victorian GPs provided access to medical abortions, and less than 20% of pharmacies in Victoria dispensed the drugs, according to The Guardian.
Victorian opposition leader Jess Wilson has ruled out any changes to the state's abortion laws under a Coalition government. "Abortion law will not change under a Liberal and Nationals government. Full stop." Williams replied Wilson "might not be the one calling the shots" given polling that suggests the Coalition is short of a majority. Warren Pickering is the One Nation Victorian leader.
The broader context here is why Labor is linking a health service pledge with parliamentary math. The machines for the hubs address the regional gap seen in GP and pharmacy numbers. The hung-parliament warning is aimed at voters who support the current law but may not see health hubs as decisive. What to watch now is not the stated positions of the major parties, which are on the record and opposed, but whether crossbench talks, if they happen, test those promises in practice.
