Courtney dismisses claims on abortion

THE state’s new pro-choice Health Minister Sarah Courtney has rubbished claims there are insufficient services available to Tasmanian women should they need to terminate a pregnancy.

Tasmania’s only low-cost abortion provider closed in January last year and has not been replaced, although private specialists have been providing the procedure in Hobart.

Labor spokeswoman for women Michelle O’Byrne said the Government needed to deliver on a new termination service — a promise she said was tabled in parliament last year.

“They should also be making sure this service is provided in public hospitals so regional, rural and low income women are not disadvantaged,” she said. “We have access for women who have money and no access for women who don’t.” But Ms Courtney, who promised to support women with a full range of choices available to them, said Labor’s claim about a termination service shortage was a “spreading of misinformation”.

“Low cost cervical termination provision is available in Tasmania,” she said. “It has been since last year, and I would urge women to contact their health professional if they are seeking to access that service.”

Ms Courtney wouldn’t say whether she would consider implementing termination services in state public hospitals but said travel assistance was available to women needing to access the available service.

“I’m going to continue working with stakeholders to ensure we can deliver for all sorts of women’s health services,” she said.