2015-07-20
“The Greens believe that it is the right of women to have unimpeded access to safe and legal abortions,” said Mr Rattenbury.
“This bill will define a specific area (privacy zone) around an approved medical facility within which protests and other public displays regarding abortion will be prohibited.
“Specific time periods will apply to privacy zones that will allow staff and patients to access the facility privately, but also allow protestors to express their views outside of these times.
“The limitations will only apply to specific subject matter relating to abortion and related health services.
“This bill does not interfere with a person’s right to protest. The limitations will only apply to a small geographic area around approved facilities and people will remain free to protest anywhere else they like.
“This is by no means an anti-protest bill; it is about protecting a woman’s right to access healthcare privately, safely and without judgement.
“This bill is specifically designed to prevent harassment, hindering, intimidation, interference, threatening, obstruction or filming of a person accessing services within the defined privacy zone.
“All people have the right to speak freely about their views, but they should not have the right to upset or intimidate women accessing legal medical services at what may be an already difficult time.
“This is about protecting the legal right to medical privacy and the human right to make choices about an individual’s own health. It’s time our laws protected those rights,” said Mr Rattenbury.