Overview
- The Legislative Council voted 11–8 to defeat Independent MLC Sarah Game’s amendment after an emotional evening debate.
- The bill would have limited abortions after about 23 weeks to saving the mother’s life or another fetus or to significant fetal abnormality, removing mental‑health grounds.
- Current law permitting post‑23‑week terminations when two doctors find a significant risk to physical or mental health remains unchanged.
- RANZCOG and clinicians described late‑term abortions as extraordinarily rare and argued the proposal was based on a fundamental misunderstanding that could endanger care.
- The defeat follows a similar late‑term restriction from Liberal MLC Ben Hood last year, with activist influence again in focus through Joanna Howe’s involvement and her ongoing ban from parliament.