Sarah Game’s bill restricting late-term abortion access passes upper house

South Australia’s upper house has passed a bill to restrict access to late-term abortion.

The legislation passed 10 votes to 9 on Wednesday afternoon with the support of three newly-elected One Nation MPs.

It will be debated by the lower house later on Wednesday evening.

The bill, introduced by Family First MP Sarah Game, effectively bans abortion from 25 weeks onwards except when it is necessary to save the life of the mother or there are serious fetal abnormalities.

The original bill precluded fetal abnormalities as a reason for access to a late-term abortion, however the exemption was later included after an amendment by Labor MP Tung Ngo.

It requires that two medical practitioners consider there is a case or a “significant risk” of serious fetal anomalies that would be “incompatible with survival after birth”.

South Australian law currently permits abortions after 23 weeks, with the approval of two doctors, if the continuation of the pregnancy would involve “significant risk of injury to the physical or mental health” of the pregnant person.

This bill removes that exemption.

The Labor and Liberal parties allowed a conscience vote on the bill; the Greens voted against while One Nation supported it.

The bill is the third conservative push to change South Australia’s abortion laws since 2024, but the first to pass the upper house.

Speaking on the floor of parliament, Ms Game said there was support for the bill following the March election result.

“The composition of this chamber has changed; it’s changed due to the voting of the public,” she said.

“The public’s been fully aware of the new parties that have entered this chamber and their stance on abortion.”

Greens MLC Melanie Selwood said she was “shocked and appalled” to be debating the bill again.

“I would much rather be here talking about safe and equitable access to abortion,” Ms Selwood said.

“But instead, I’m having to defend fundamental healthcare.”

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