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Wayne Berry MLAACT Legislative Assembly Member for Ginninderra |
Home / Women / Pro-ChoiceOver a Decade of Campaigning Results
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Wayne has been a strong advocate and campaigner for women’s pro-choice rights for over a decade. Wayne believes that policy makers are entitled to their opinions but should not force their opinions onto women.
From repealing legislation that prevented abortions in the ACT in 1992 to introducing legislation that decriminalised abortion in the ACT in 2002, Wayne’s consistent efforts have provided great assistance in strengthening women’s rights in the ACT.
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after the April 2002 rally. |
1992 – Abortion allowed in ACT
Prior to self-government, the ACT fell under the Federal Government’s Termination of Pregnancy ACT 1978, this Act required women seeking an abortion to present themselves before a panel of doctors and restricted the procedure to ACT public hospitals requiring women to join the waiting list. This legislation effectively forced over 1500 women a year to travel interstate seeking the procedure.In 1992 Wayne introduced a bill to repeal the Termination of Pregnancy ACT that was passed in June 1992. The repealing of the legislation allowed for the establishment of a private clinic in the ACT. Between 1992 and 1994 Wayne worked closely with women’s groups to set up the Reproductive Health Service within the City Health Service in Civic.
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in support of Wayne's bills. |
1994 – Abortion clinic opened
In 1994 the abortion clinic opened but the Crimes Act 1900 still permitted criminal sanctions against the procedure. Under the Act, a woman undergoing the procedure or a medical practitioner performing the procedure could face a penalty of up to ten years imprisonment.Wayne introduced a bill to remove the criminal sanctions against abortion in the Crimes Act 1900 but the bill was not brought on for debate when the majority of members of the then Carnell government refused to support it.
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in support of Wayne's bills. |
2001 – Election Promise
Prior to the 2001 election Wayne tabled draft legislation in the legislative assembly decriminalising abortion and promised that if elected he would immediately introduce the legislation to debate.1998 – Community outrage at draconian laws
In August 1998, the independent member Paul Osborne introduced his Health Regulations (Abortions) Bill 1998. The community was outraged at the provisions of the bill that required that the procedure could only be performed in cases of grave medical or psychiatric risk as assessed by two specialist medical practitioners. A vigorous campaign developed to oppose the bill with over 2000 people rallying in front of the assembly calling for it to be withdrawn.Ultimately the community campaign led to a winding back of the moves to close the clinic but not before the then Liberal Chief Minister and Independent Health Minister facilitated the draconian Health Regulations (Maternal Health Information) Bill 1998 being passed in November 1998. This bill forced women to view distressing pictures of foetuses when considering an abortion.
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in support of Wayne's bills. |
2002 – Abortion decriminalised and draconian laws repealed
In December 2001, Wayne introduced Crimes (Abolition of Offence of Abortion) Bill 2001 and Health Regulation (Maternal Health Information) Repeal Bill 2001. The bills were aimed at repealing the sections of the Crimes Act 1900 that made abortion a crime and stopping women being made to feel guilty by being forced to view pictures of foetuses when considering the procedure. In 2002 Wayne’s bills were passed in the assembly. This decriminalised abortion in the ACT, the first state or territory in Australia to do so, and ensured a women’s right to choose without undue pressure being put on them when faced with a difficult decision.“After ten years of campaigning for change it is a relief to at last succeed but another campaign of vigilance to protect these gains has just begun,” Mr Berry concluded.
Legislation
Medical Practitioners (Maternal Health) Amendment Bill 2002, detail, 2609, 2611, 2619Crimes (Abolition of Offence of Abortion) Bill 2001, prin, 105, 2501, 2563
Health Regulation (Maternal Health Information) Repeal Bill 2001, prin, 109, 2601, 2603
Health Regulation (Abortions) Bill 1998, mso, 1358; prin, 1732, 1748
Health Regulation (Maternal Health Information) Bill 1998, mso, 2587, 2600; postponement of order of the day, 2835, 2855; prin, 2925; proposed select committee, 2934, 2955; detail, 2959, 2971, 2979, 2983, 2993, 3001, 3015, 3017, 3021, 3023, 3027, 3154
Hansard Statements
Abortion, legislation, 105, 109, 2501, 2563, 2601, 2603, 2609, 2611, 2619Abortion, draft legislation, 2531
Legislation 1999, 2777, 2841, 3423, 3490
Legislation 1998, 1337, 1358, 1732, 1748, 2235, 2317, 2587, 2600, 2925, 2934, 2955, 2959, 2971, 2979, 2983, 2993, 3001, 3015, 3017, 3021, 3023, 3027, 3154
Media Statments
21 August 2002 Abortion Decriminalised In The A.C.T.5 June 2002 Dunne Wants Gaol Sentence For Abortion
4 June 2002 Should There Be A Gaol Sentence For Abortion – The Answer Is NO!
12 December 2001 Abortion Law Reform Bills Introduced
12 October 2001 Make the Choice Pro-Choice
8 Aug 2001 Abortion Law Reform Bills Tabled
22 May 2001 Right To Life Attempts A Guilt Trip For Pro-Choice Women
26 Apr 2000 Liberals Target ACT Women - Humphries Lets The Cat Out Of The Bag
17 Feb 2000 Humphries Withdraws Funds From Pro Choice Campaigner
21 Oct 1999 A Woman's Right To Choose Rejected By Carnell
14 Oct 1999 Embarassing Bungle Leads To Move To Restrict Ministerial Interference
5 Oct 1999 More Doubts About Foetal Images Regulation
22 Sep 1999 Humphries Smyth Or Moore Must Release Departmental Advice
1 Sep 1999 Berry Moves To Disallow Draconian Abortion Regulations
12 July 1999 Carnell Government Panicking On Abortion
Links to other Web Sites
| Abortion Providers Federation |
 | Pro-Choice Public Education Project |