The Coalition has matched Labor’s pledge to make abortions free in Victoria, meaning the state will become the first in Australia to do so regardless of the election result.
What we know:
- Opposition leader Jess Wilson confirmed on Thursday afternoon that her government would match Labor’s commitment to cover out-of-pocket costs for abortion care up to 16 weeks’ gestation (The Guardian).
- This would include GP and specialist consultations, scans, tests or medication, which can amount to more than $1,000 (The Guardian).
- “The Liberals and Nationals will not allow Labor to play politics on this issue,” Wilson said. “Labor has had 12 years to improve access to health care but are instead choosing to play politics” (The Canberra Times).
- The Labor government has promised to invest $30m over four years to make access to abortion care free, in a move the party says is designed to resolve a so-called “postcode lottery” (The Canberra Times).
Read more: The fragility of abortion rights in Australia (The Saturday Paper)