Related Publications
Abortion submissions closed
29 November 2007
The Victorian Law Reform Commission has received more than 500 submissions to its reference on the decriminalisation of abortion, and will now begin the process of developing options for reform.
Since receiving the project’s terms of reference on 26 September, the commission has released an Information Paper, met with more than 30 individuals and organisations, and analysed the submissions that have been sent in.
Commission Chairperson, Professor Neil Rees, said the consultation process had elicited a range of views on abortion and its decriminalisation.
“The options we put forward to government will incorporate a range of views on how we decriminalise abortion, and the report will detail what we’ve been told in consultations and submissions,” Professor Rees said.
“While many people who don’t believe in abortion decriminalisation have voiced opposition to legislative changes, some have also contributed ideas about how new legislation could be structured.
“Likewise, people who support decriminalisation have given us a range of ideas that could be incorporated into new legislation.
“We’ve also heard about differences between rural and city areas in access to services and medical workforce numbers,” Professor Rees said.
The terms of reference and Information Paper are available on the commission’s website: www.lawreform.vic.gov.au or by calling 8619 8619. The commission is due to report back to the Attorney-General on 28 March 2008.