Abortion is still a crime in Queensland. Women can face jail time for choosing an abortion, while doctors can be imprisoned for providing abortion.
Right now, a couple in Cairns face charges over an abortion.
The law is extremely ambiguous, with doctors and lawyers themselves often unsure of the position. Some doctors have begun to withdraw their abortion services due to their uncertainty over the legal situation.
Queensland women are severely disadvantaged in their lack of access to abortion services compared to women in other states, a situation which is worsening across much of the state.
Public opinion consistently shows a huge majority of the community – 79% of Queensland, according to an independent poll in May 2009 – want abortion decriminalised.
Still the Government refuses to act.
This issue needs urgent political attention! Please visit the Queensland Parliament website today and sign an e-petition calling for abortion to be decriminalised. This decision needs to be placed where it belongs - in the hands of women and doctors, not politicians and police.
Current laws mean that the estimated 14,000 women in Queensland who seek abortion each year face a potential jail term. This needs to end. Now.
For more information on abortion in Queensland, or to find out how to become more involved in the campaign, please visit www.prochoiceqld.org.au today, where you can sign up for regular email updates and news on the campaign.