Religious-affiliated Australian public hospitals in the state of Victoria would be banned from directing staff not to perform abortions on conscientious grounds under a new legislative push.
Reason Party leader and crossbench MP Fiona Patten will announce the Health Legislation Amendment (Conscientious Objection) Bill on Monday as state parliament resumes sitting after the winter break. force
Under the bill, to be introduced to parliament on Wednesday, publicly funded denominational hospitals would be legally obliged to provide advice and services for medical and surgical abortions, voluntary-assisted dying and contraception.
“A denominational hospital must not direct or otherwise cause a registered health practitioner … to refuse to provide mandatory advice and services on the basis of a conscientious objection,” it reads….