Release date: 23/06/22

New regulations will modernise termination of pregnancy laws in South Australia and provide increased access for women living in regional areas.

The Termination of Pregnancy Regulations 2022 have finally been made 16 months after the former Parliament passed the Termination of Pregnancy Act 2021.

For more than a year the former Government failed to finalise the regulations which are required for the legislation to come into effect.

Today the Governor has issued the regulations and they will now come into effect from 7 July 2022.

The Act removes termination of pregnancy procedures from the criminal legal system with the regulations now part of health law.

The legislation:

  • Removes a reason for a termination of pregnancy if the person is not more than 22 weeks and 6 days pregnant.
  • Requires consultation with one medical practitioner if a gestation period has not exceeded 22 weeks and 6 days.
  • Permits prescription via telemedicine and removes the requirement that the treatment take place in a hospital for early medical abortion.
  • The Act also requires consultation with two medical practitioners who both agree on the circumstances for the termination for gestation periods exceeding 22 weeks and 6 days.

The regulations were drafted in consultation with the Statewide Termination of Pregnancy Committee.

Information on the legislation and regulations is being sent to GPs and pharmacists so they are fully informed before the regulations come into effect.


Quotes

Attributable to Chris Picton

The South Australian Parliament voted for this legislation in March 2021.

The former Government inexplicably stalled these regulations which support the legislation for a year.

They delayed and buried these regulations and failed to explain to the community why they did not progress them.

We have moved forward with these regulations to deliver on what the Parliament voted for.