While I am disappointed that the final vote and consideration of amendments on the Reproductive Health Care Reform Bill has been postponed to mid-September, I welcome passage of the bill through the first vote in the upper house, demonstrating that a clear majority of upper house members support the removal of abortion from the criminal code.

The bill in its current form has the endorsement of the Australian Medical Association, the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, the Pro-Choice Alliance, the NSW Bar Association, and importantly the Legislative Assembly where it overwhelmingly passed 59 to 31. It is my hope that the bill will proceed to a successful final vote when parliament returns.

Women in New South Wales have campaigned long and hard for this overdue reform, and their advocacy has resulted in the continued success of this bill through the NSW Parliament. It’s now time for abortion to be decriminalised in New South Wales and I look forward to the final passage of the bill.