Fentiman calls on LNP to be clear about its stance on abortion
By Cloe Read
More women will now come forward to access abortion services, the Queensland government believes, as recruitment kicked off for more nurses and midwives to improve access to pregnancy termination.
The state government earlier this year passed laws to allow nurses and midwives to dispense the abortion pill MS-2 Step, in a bid to give women better abortion access.
Local NGO Children by Choice will also receive an additional $8 million in funding to boost access. Credit: iStock
A majority of the new positions are expected to be nurses and midwives, with $20 million allocated for the extra staff as part of the state government’s $41.8 million termination of pregnancy action plan 2032.
Fentiman on Saturday said Queensland was the first government to allow nurses and midwives to prescribe MS-2 Step.
“Training is also under way for our nurses and midwives to be able to boost these services,” she said.
Fentiman said GPs could also prescribe the medication, but people had difficulty accessing doctors in regional Queensland.
“Every hospital and health service, other than Children’s Health Queensland, will be getting additional clinicians as part of this service,” she said.
“This is a boost to recognise, now that we have passed legislation to enable nurses and midwives to prescribe MS-2 Step, we are going to see more women coming forward to access this.”
When the legislation passed in March, the LNP strongly opposed the move, raising concerns with safety and a lack of resources in rural areas.
Fentiman was questioned about the annual LNP convention this weekend, where federal opposition leader Peter Dutton criticised the Albanese government saying it had not detailed how the lives of Australians would improve when they were staring down interest rate rises for the 13th time.
Dutton threw his support behind state LNP leader David Crisafulli, saying he had a vision to revitalise the state.
Queensland opposition leader David Crisafulli. Credit: Matt Dennien
Fentiman said Crisafulli had not detailed his plans, particularly in regard to abortion.
“[The LNP] voted against this service, to give rural and regional women to access termination and pregnancy service,” she said.
“David Crisafulli himself voted to keep abortion in the Criminal Code.
“They’re over there having secret debates about privatising the ABC, paying to keep women at home, and a whole range of other things. That seems to be their priorities for Queensland, but I know women and girls really want to know what is going to happen to abortion if David Crisafulli gets elected.”