Queensland Plans to Hire Additional Health Staff to Enhance Abortion Services
The Queensland government is seeking to expand the local abortion workforce by adding 22 full-time staff members.
With the goal of enhancing access to abortion services in the state, the Queensland government announced on July 6 its plans to recruit up to 22 full-time nurses, midwives, social workers, and senior medical officers to bolster the local workforce.
This initiative, part of the Termination of Pregnancy Action Plan 2032, will require an investment of $20.78 million (US$14 million) from Queensland taxpayers, with each abortion-providing hospital and health service receiving between $1 million and $1.6 million in funding.
Furthermore, $8 million of funding will be allocated to Children by Choice, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing unbiased information on abortion, to facilitate easier access to the service for women.
The Queensland government emphasized that the new policy reflects its commitment to prioritizing the health and safety of women and pregnant individuals in the state.
Minister for Health and Women, Shannon Fentiman stated, “Abortion is a very personal choice, and every Queenslander deserves the level of support and care we are offering with this investment. As the Minister for Women, it is extremely important to me that Queenslanders have access to safe, world-class pregnancy and reproductive healthcare—and that’s what this investment will do.”
Addressing criticism from the Opposition, Fentiman highlighted their stance against safe and timely access to abortion, contrasting it with the government’s efforts to provide comprehensive support for women in Queensland.
Shadow Minister for Women, Ros Bates, expressed concerns about the healthcare crisis in the state, attributing it to an under-resourced and under-pressure healthcare system that is worsening under the current government’s leadership.
The recent funding injection follows the reform of abortion laws in Queensland, allowing nurses and midwives to prescribe the abortion drug MS-2 Step. Abortion was legalized in the state in 2018, permitting access up to 22 weeks of gestation.
Despite the government’s promotion of abortion as a healthcare service, some experts have raised concerns about potential post-abortion trauma for women. Grief counsellor Anne Lastman has highlighted the lasting emotional impact of abortion, emphasizing that it is not a simple or empowering solution for women.
