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Health groups call on candidates to reveal abortion support
The RACGP has joined forces with 39 high-profile health groups, calling on political parties to support improving abortion access for all.
‘For many, abortion remains difficult to access due to geography, cost, limited providers, stigma, and discrimination,’ the statement on abortion care says.
Political candidates have been urged to publicly support abortion as part of their commitment to essential healthcare, in a joint statement signed by 40 health groups including the RACGP.
The college joined with groups including Jean Hailes for Women, the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation, the Australian Medical Association Victoria, and Family Planning Alliance Australia, calling on political parties to commit to ensuring affordable, accessible abortion care in Australia.
Data shows that half of all pregnancies are unplanned, with one in four women having an abortion in their lifetime.
The joint statement on abortion care said that in Victoria, 67% of local government areas have no surgical abortion providers, and only 11% of GPs in Australia prescribe medical abortion.
‘Abortion is essential healthcare and must be accessible – no matter where you live, who you are, or how much money you have,’ it said.
‘Australia’s healthcare system is built on the promise of universal access. Yet for many, abortion remains difficult to access due to geography, cost, limited providers, stigma, and discrimination.’
But despite healthcare being a major election focus, the RACGP said abortion has largely been absent from the national conversation, with the Federal Election presenting an ‘unmissable opportunity’ for candidates to speak up.
RACGP Victoria Chair Dr Anita Muñoz said the college is pleased to see bipartisan commitment to funding more contraceptive choices for women, but ‘we need to see the same support from all political parties to ensure affordable and accessible abortion care’.
‘Abortion access was an incredibly important part of a healthcare system but for many and varied reasons, access to abortion services in Australia has been woefully inadequate, and we know that women have the right to access that service,’ she told newsGP.
‘This statement is a way of making sure that issue gets the attention that it deserves, so that inequity of access can be addressed, hopefully at long last.
‘More and more the public expects politicians to keep their word and to be held to account. So, if a politician does commit to improving women’s health and abortion care, then the RACGP, alongside other peak bodies, will be ensuring that those promises are kept.’
As part of the solution, the statement signatories called on candidates to:
- ensure appropriate remuneration under the MBS for providers to deliver affordable care
- support workforce capacity-building with medical and professional colleges providing sexual, reproductive and maternal healthcare training
- ensure public hospitals provide abortion care as part of standard, comprehensive reproductive health services
- work with state and territory governments to implement all 36 recommendations from the Senate Inquiry into universal access to reproductive healthcare.
‘Now more than ever, we need bold, unified political leadership at all levels of government to protect abortion rights and strengthen access,’ the health groups wrote.
‘All governments must work together to protect and support access to abortion – it is not the sole responsibility of state and territory governments. The Commonwealth Government holds critical levers.’
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