Late-term abortion ban bid fails to pass through South Australia’s parliament

South Australia’s controversial bill, which would effectively ban late-term abortions, passed the upper house by a narrow margin but was ultimately defeated.

The Legislative Council on Wednesday approved a bill that would impose tighter restrictions on abortion after 24 weeks and six days.

The bill, introduced by Family First MP Sarah Game, is being debated for the third time since 2024.

It also passed the state’s upper house for the first time by a vote of nine to 10.

The vote triggered an immediate debate in the House of Assembly later in the evening and was ultimately rejected.

After more than an hour of emotional debate, Speaker Nat Cook initially said the vote was in favor of supporters.

However, his assessment of the voice votes was challenged, resulting in a recorded vote.

This led to the defeat of the bill, and 36 MPs voted against the bill and passed it to a second reading.

Currently in South Australia, abortion is allowed after 23 weeks with the approval of two doctors if continuing the pregnancy poses a “risk of serious harm to the physical or mental health” of the pregnant person.

But the bill aimed to remove this exemption in favor of tighter restrictions that would almost completely ban abortions after 24 weeks.

Under the proposed bill, amended by Labor MP Tung Ngo, two medical doctors are required to consider that there is a “significant risk” of serious fetal abnormalities “incompatible with survival after birth”.

Before both debates, anti-abortion demonstrators gathered outside parliament to voice their support for the bill.

Speaking in Parliament, Ms Game said support for the bill was given following the March election results.

“The composition of this parliament has changed; it has changed because of the vote of the people,” he said.

“The public was fully aware of the new parties entering this parliament and their positions on abortion.”

Ms Game voted for the bill, as did Liberals Dennis Hood, Ben Hood, Nicola Centofanti, Heidi Girolamo, Labor’s Clare Scriven and Tung Ngo and three One Nation MLCs.

One Nation MP Chantelle Thomas was among those who spoke in favor of the bill during the evening debate.

She said her own seven-year-old daughter was “living proof that sometimes predictions are wrong” and that she was advised to terminate her own pregnancy at 28 weeks.

“I believe one child killed by late-term abortion is one too many when it could have been saved,” he said.

But he criticized the speed with which the bill moved between the two chambers.

“I was hoping we would have time to talk to our voters about our votes,” he said.

But South Australia’s women’s minister, Labor MP Katrine Hildyard, strongly opposed this.

“The reality is that South Australia already has one of the most regulated systems,” he said.

“We must send a clear message that we are ready to respect healthcare professionals and have absolute confidence in women.”

But Labor MPs were divided on the bill; party members were speaking both for and against the law.

The state’s treasurer, Tom Koutsantonis, was among those who opposed it, saying it was largely motivated by his Christian faith.

“It is a historical event that this bill was passed by the upper house,” he said.