Proposal to change laws in South Australia is being debated in state parliament

A debate is under way in the South Australian parliament over a controversial proposal to change abortion laws in the state.

Transcript

00:00These proposed changes have been introduced by Liberal MLC Ben Hood and if his bill passes

00:08Parliament it would mean that a woman seeking to terminate a pregnancy after 27 weeks and

00:13six days gestation would be induced and required to give birth to a live baby rather than terminating

00:19the pregnancy in utero and that woman would then have the option of putting the baby up

00:24for adoption.

00:26Under the current South Australian legislation which was passed in 2021 women can get late

00:32term abortions after 22 weeks and six days gestation if it's deemed medically appropriate

00:38by two doctors and according to SA Health in the first 18 months that those laws were

00:43implemented fewer than five people had a late term abortion after that 27 week mark.

00:50Adelaide woman Taylor Jane Jackson says she was one of those people who had a late term

00:54abortion she shared her story with the ABC and says she's now sad and frustrated that

01:00debate to change the laws is underway and she believes the proposal could be problematic.

01:05Meanwhile Ben Hood says he believes the bill balances the rights of women with the rights

01:10of children and last night a large crowd of supporters of the bill gathered on the steps

01:15of State Parliament calling for the Premier Peter Malinowskis to support the proposed

01:20amendments.

01:21Now Mr Malinowskis has not said whether he would or wouldn't support the bill but both

01:25Liberal and Labor MPs have been given a conscience vote on the matter but of course we will be

01:31waiting to see what the result is of that debate which is expected sometime this evening.