Australian Abortion Law in the 21st Century: A Jurisdictional Analysis of Flawed Legislation

During the first quarter of the 21st century, all Australian jurisdictions enacted legislation regulating the provision of abortion services. The purpose of this article is to canvass and assess that legislation from the perspective of whether it serves to recognise a woman’s right to abortion. The article contends that practical recognition of this right occurs when the law regulates abortion care in the same manner as other standard health care. The article consequently provides a comparative analysis of the legislation in each jurisdiction in terms of whether medically unjustified conditions are placed upon the lawful provision of abortion care.