SYDNEY, March 27 (Xinhua) -- New abortion laws came into effect from Wednesday in Western Australia (WA), removing the health intervention from the state's criminal code and improving the access for women to related services.
Under the new regulations, abortion has been officially decriminalized in the Australian state, while it still remains an offense for an "unqualified person" to perform or assist with an abortion.
Many other "clinically unnecessary barriers" for women were also eliminated, including mandatory counseling and the requirement for ministerial approval for a health service to perform late abortions.
From Wednesday, the number of health practitioners required to be involved in most abortions has dropped from two to one. Nurse practitioners and endorsed midwives are allowed to prescribe abortion drugs within their scope of practice.
According to the state government, health practitioners have the right to "conscientiously object" but are required to refer the patient to another practitioner or provide information on where to access care.
"Our modernized abortion laws will reduce barriers for women seeking an abortion, which is a fundamental component of women's health," said Sue Ellery, WA minister for women's interests.
"These laws bring WA in line with other jurisdictions, eliminating the need to travel interstate for care," Ellery added.
The historic reform passed through the WA parliament in September last year. Before that, the state's abortion laws had not been updated for about 25 years. ■